Best time to visit Panama City
The best time to visit Panama City is February, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Panama City, Panama, Panama
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29.3 °C / 85 °F | 24.2 °C / 76 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | good month |
| February | 29.5 °C / 85 °F | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 12 mm / 0.5 in | best month, for Carnaval. The weather alone makes it good. |
| March | 29.8 °C / 86 °F | 24.2 °C / 76 °F | 13 mm / 0.5 in | good month |
| April | 29.9 °C / 86 °F | 24.8 °C / 77 °F | 95 mm / 3.7 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 29.3 °C / 85 °F | 25.1 °C / 77 °F | 227 mm / 8.9 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 29 °C / 84 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 256 mm / 10.1 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 29.1 °C / 84 °F | 24.9 °C / 77 °F | 290 mm / 11.4 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24.8 °C / 77 °F | 265 mm / 10.4 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 28.8 °C / 84 °F | 24.8 °C / 77 °F | 258 mm / 10.2 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 28.4 °C / 83 °F | 24.6 °C / 76 °F | 254 mm / 10 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 24.4 °C / 76 °F | 266 mm / 10.5 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 29 °C / 84 °F | 24.4 °C / 76 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: good
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: good
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- February
- Good
- January, March
Panama City is hot and humid all year, so no month is flawless, but the dry season (January-March) is dry and sunny enough to be good for sightseeing, with February lifted to best by Carnaval; from April through December frequent, heavy, mid-afternoon downpours make exploring on foot much less pleasant.
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 5 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days.
Against: feels like (high) 33.5 °C / 92 °F, average daily high 29.3 °C / 85 °F, relative humidity 81%, average daily low 24.2 °C / 76 °F.
Also on: Panama Jazz Festival.
Watch out for: Christmas and New Year holiday season.
February · best
Good weather, made best by Carnaval.
In its favour: precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days.
Against: feels like (high) 33.6 °C / 92 °F, average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F, relative humidity 79%, average daily low 24.1 °C / 75 °F.
Also on: Micro Brew Fest.
Watch out for: Carnaval.
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days.
Against: feels like (high) 34.4 °C / 94 °F, average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F, relative humidity 78%, average daily low 24.2 °C / 76 °F.
Also on: Panamá Burger Week.
Watch out for: Easter / Semana Santa closures.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: good
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: good
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Good
- January–March
Panama City's heat and humidity never really ease off, so trekking is at best good, and only in the dry season (January-March) when trails stay dry and sunny; from April through December frequent heavy afternoon rain, high humidity and shorter sunshine hours make hiking conditions poor all the way to December.
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: precipitation 21 mm / 0.8 in, wet days 5 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 11.7 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: average daily high 29.3 °C / 85 °F, feels like (high) 33.5 °C / 92 °F, relative humidity 81%, average daily low 24.2 °C / 76 °F.
Also on: Panama Jazz Festival.
Watch out for: Christmas and New Year holiday season.
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 12 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 11.8 h, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: average daily high 29.5 °C / 85 °F, feels like (high) 33.6 °C / 92 °F, relative humidity 79%, average daily low 24.1 °C / 75 °F.
Also on: Carnaval, Micro Brew Fest.
Watch out for: Carnaval.
March · good
In its favour: precipitation 13 mm / 0.5 in, wet days 3.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, daylight per day 12.1 h, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F, feels like (high) 34.4 °C / 94 °F, relative humidity 78%, average daily low 24.2 °C / 76 °F.
Also on: Panamá Burger Week.
Watch out for: Easter / Semana Santa closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Sugar Mountain Resort, 3026 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 33.5 °C | 33.6 °C | 34.4 °C | 35.7 °C | 35.6 °C | 35.3 °C | 35.5 °C | 35.3 °C | 35.2 °C | 34.3 °C | 33.9 °C | 34.3 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.2 days | 0.2 days | 0.1 days | 2.2 days | 7.7 days | 9.9 days | 10.8 days | 9.8 days | 9.2 days | 9.3 days | 9.1 days | 2.3 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 10.8 h | 10.9 h | 11 h | 10.6 h | 9 h | 8.1 h | 7.6 h | 7.9 h | 8.5 h | 8.8 h | 8.5 h | 10.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 81% | 79% | 78% | 81% | 86% | 87% | 88% | 87% | 88% | 88% | 88% | 85% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 8.2 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 10.8 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ | 5.4 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.8 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 18.1 µg/m³ | 15.6 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 9.5 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Carnaval Major
February, dates vary from year to year
- Panama Jazz Festival
January
- Micro Brew Fest
February
- Panamá Burger Week
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- World Pride Panama
June and July, dates vary from year to year
- Panama La Vieja Day
15 August
- Panama International Book Fair (FIL)
August
- IFF Panama International Film Festival
August, dates vary from year to year
- Panamá Fashion Week
September
- Panamá Cocktail Week
November
Worth knowing before you go
- Christmas and New Year holiday season
January and December
- Carnaval
February, dates vary from year to year
- Easter / Semana Santa closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- November independence holidays
3–28 November
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá
5 km away
- Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá
5 km away