June 3, 2026

No.206

May 2026
(Back Issues Here)

We had 5.04 inches of rain at the Palmira Arriba Station during the month of May 2026.

Rainfall for May 2026
Area	Contributors	May 2026	Total 2026
El Salto Arriba	Beth Corwin	2.95	6.73
Los Cabazos	Don Hughes	2.79	10.16
Jaramillo Arriba	Steve Sarner	n/a	n/a
Jaramillo Arriba	Mark Heyer	n/a	n/a
Jaramillo Alto	Steve White	3.11	n/a
Jaramillo Central	Colleen Anderson	2.74	n/a
Jaramillo Abajo	John McGann	6.89	21.31
Palo Alto	Nancy Pettersen	4.32	41.74
Valle Escondido	Gisela Remsen	6.56	11.70
Brisas  Boquetenas	Dennis Decorte	10.6	27.61
Brisas Boquetenas	Richard Sturz	13.50	35.49
Cerro Verde (Volcancito)	Charlotte Lintz	3.04	n/a
Canyon Village	Denise McGhee	5.24	n/a
Caldera	Chris McCall	4.13	11.18
Lucero	Mike Joy	8.85	16.32
Palmira Abajo	Dave Nichols	5.45	15.74
Palmira Arriba	Lloyd Cripe	5.04	14.76
N/A = Not Available Red = Highest rainfalls Green = Lowest rainfall

Checking the past data from the Palmira Arriba Station over a span of 20 years, the average rainfall for the months of May is 20.29 inches. The range is a low of 5.04 inches(this month) to a high of 42.94 inches (2008). This month's 5.04 inches at the Palmira Arriba Station is -1.5 standard deviations below the mean for May.  This is statistically lower than normal.  It was a dry month. 

Palmira Arriba Station Average May  Rainfalls over 20 Years

At the Palmira Arriba Station we had 12 days with measureable light precipitation and 19 days without any precipitation. 

The average winds in May 2026 at the Palmira Arriba station was 3.59 mph and generally from the NNE.  Our maximum wind gust was 24.6 mph.  Average temperature was 71.52 degrees F.  The Highest temperature was 86.2 degrees F.  The lowest temperature was 61.7 degrees F.  You can check all the previous data for the months of May at this climate link.

In the Rainfall Table above note the variations in May rainfall in the different areas of the District of Boquete. A general inspection indicates generally low rain rates throughout the District of Boquete. Even the highest rates seem lower than normally expected for May.

Because of the low rain rates, I decided to look closer at how much rain we have had in months of May and how much total rainfall we have had from the first of the years through the end of May.  Here is a table with this data:

Year	May	Year to end of May
2026	5.04	14.76
2025	21.02	29.08
2024	17.08	29.34
2023	9.66	17.54
2022	28.11	47.51
2021	11.70	28.56
2020	20.65	30.10
2019	23.98	29.68
2018	34.86	37.56
2017	42.34	57.22
2016	14.56	22.42
2015	6.46	9.83
2014	10.20	11.30
2013	10.89	14.95
2012	24.16	40.94
2011	18.11	29.53
2010	20.87	46.89
2009	14.85	25.98
2008	40.94	46.56
2007	30.35	--
Means	x̄ 20.29   SD 10.48	x̄ 29.34  SD 13.04

Note that May 2026 5.04 inches is the lowest rainfall over the course of the 20 years.  In 2015 we had 6.46 inches and in 2023 we had 9.66.  Also note that the total rain for the rainfall by the end of May for the year shows that the lowest was in 2015 with only 9.43 inches.  Interestingly 2015-2016 was a very strong El Niño time. Check it out here. Despite this drier 2015 pattern by the end of the year in 2015 we had a total of 99.99 inches of rain here in Palmira. To grow Arabica coffee you need rain distributed over the right months and a total of between 47 and 87 inches.

The latest ENSO Cycle Report is saying that "ENSO-neutral conditions are present. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are near-to-above-average across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño is likely to emerge soon (82% chance in May-July 2026) and continue through Northern Hemisphere winter 2026-27 (96% chance in December 2026 – February 2027)."

There are predictions of a likely Super El Niño occurring this year. Here is a link to a good article that helps explain this is and what this may mean to parts of world weather.  Here is a link to some additional good information regarding how a Super El Niño can affect the Atlantic Hurricane Season. I suggest reading both of these articles to sharpen-up on what El Niño is all about and how it might affect weather in various parts of the world.

The IRI (International Research Institute for Climate and Society) (select South America from the Region menu) is predicting a 40% to 60% probability of below normal precipitation in Panama during the months of June-July-August 2026. (Brown areas).

 

IMHPA (Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá) documents section predicts that during June 2026 "...It is expected that in much of the country, accumulated rainfall for this month will decrease, remaining close to or below normal climatological rainfall values."  You can read their entire report and check out the details in the "documents" section at this link.

May 2026 was a drier month.  So far this year we have less precipitation than usual.  It is predicted that we will have a strong El Niño.  We may end up having less rain this year.  However there are many months to come.  We will probably get more rain and the year may end up with sufficient rain so that we can have another cup of coffee.

Because the prediction of weather and many other things in life are uncertain, I suggest that you use your water sparingly, enjoy the less rainy days, but keep the umbrella ready. Be happy.  Remember that life is what happens to you while you worry about what you think may happen but doesn't!