| January 3, 2025 | No.189 |
December 2024
(Back Issues Here)
We had 2.75 inches of rain at the Palmira Arriba Station during the month of December 2024.
Rainfall for December 2024 |
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Area |
Contributors |
December 2024 |
Total 2024 |
| El Salto Arriba | Beth Corwin | 4.08 | 121.96 |
| Bajo Lino | Rodrigo Marciacq | 6.19 | n/a |
| Los Cabazos | Don Hughes | 5.55 | 151.00 |
Jaramillo Arriba |
Steve Sarner |
7.95 | 226.04 |
| Jaramillo Arriba | Mark Heyer | 7.50 | 174.88 |
Jaramillo Abajo |
John McGann |
4.37 | 223.89 |
| Palo Alto | Nancy Pettersen | 12.11 | 162.60 |
| Valle Escondido | Gisela Remsen | 4.26 | 154.09 |
| Brisas Boquetenas | Dennis Decorte | 6.83 | n/a |
| Brisas Boquetenas | Richard Sturz | 6.70 | 361.00 |
| El Encanto (Volcancito) | Brian Baldwin | 3.77 | 149.26 |
Cerro Verde (Volcancito) |
Charlotte Lintz |
3.19 | 122.76 |
Santa Lucia |
Paula Litt |
3.04 | 175.79 |
| Caldera | Chris McCall | 8.12 | 232.1 |
| Lucero | Mike Joy | 6.37 | 302.05 |
| Palmira Abajo | Andrea Boraine | n/a | n/a |
| Palmira Abajo | Dave Nichols | 2.92 | 207.16 |
Palmira Arriba |
Lloyd Cripe |
2.75 | 184.65 |
| El Banco (Potrerillos Arriba) | Laura Daniels | n/a | n/a |
| N/A = Not
Available Red = Highest rainfalls Green = Lowest rainfall |
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As expected rainfall amounts in December were generally much less than they were in November. The highest reported rainfall was in the Palo Alto area. Nancy Peterson reported 12.11 inches. The lowest reported rainfall was at the Palmira Arriba station with 2.75 inches.
The end of year totals indicate that the highest rainfall area was Brisas Boquetenas as reported by Richard Sturz with 361 inches. Another high was reported by Mike Joy in Lucero with 302.05 inches. The lowest rainfall area for the year was reported by Beth Corwin in El Salto Arriba with 121.96 inches. Charlotte Lintz in Cerro Verde reported 122.76 inches for the year.
Checking the past data from the Palmira Arriba Station over a span of 18 years, the average rainfall for the months of December is 2.57 inches. The range is 6.78 inches with a low of 0.23 to a high of 7.10 inches of rain. This month's 2.75 inches is well within normal range.
We had 18 days with some measureable precipitation (often a light mist - Bajareque) at the Palmira Arriba Station.
Here is a summary of the statistics for the months of December collected over a span of 18 years.
Palmira Arriba Station December Rainfalls over 18 Years
In December the average winds at the Palmira Station were 5.42 mph with maximum wind of 25.6 mph. The winds increased from what we had in November. This is expected as we transition into the dry season. You can check out all of our (Palmira Station) previous monthly data for the month of November at this link.
The latest ENSO Cycle Report is saying that "ENSO-neutral conditions are present. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are near-to-below average in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. La Niña conditions are most likely to emerge in November 2024 – January 2025 (59% chance), with a transition to ENSO-neutral most likely by March-May 2025."
Here is a link to a source to better understand El Niño in case you need some help interpreting what this all means. Give this a read and you will learn a lot about this important weather phenomenon that affects global weather. It has more effect upon the Northern Latitudes than it has upon us here in the tropics.
The IRI (International Research Institute for Climate and Society) (select South America from the Region menu) is predicting a high probability (50+%) of above normal rainfall for most of Panama during the months of January - February - March of 2025 (green to blue).
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IMHPA (Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá) documents section predicts that the January rainfall for Chiriqui will generally be within normal levels. You can read their report and check out the details in the "documents" section at this link. They are predicting basically normal levels of rain in Panama with the exception of some of the eastern areas for December.
This month, we will continue to transition into the Dry Season. January often brings winds and mist (Bajareque) especially in the northern parts of the District). Rainbows are often common and spectacular.
On January 8 at 10:00, at the request of Boquete Hospice and Health Foundation, I am giving a talk entitled, Weathering the Weather. It is at the Boquete Library and the price is right - free. I hope to see some of you there along with your windproof umbrellas.
Lloyd Cripe