Authorities Warn of Downpours with Thunderstorms in Several Areas of the Country and a Blue Moon: Weather in Panama

Panama City, Panama:  The Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Imhpa) warned of heavy rain with isolated storms and a cautionary sea state in sectors of the central and western Pacific for this Saturday and Sunday May 30 & 31.  According to the agency’s weather bulletin, partly cloudy to cloudy skies are expected along the Caribbean coast mornings accompanied by intermittent showers of varying intensity in areas of Colón and the Guna Yala region. 

Isolated downpours with a chance of thunderstorms are expected afternoons in parts of Colón, the mountainous areas of Bocas del Toro, and the Ngäbe Buglé region. Cloudy skies will persist across much of the region tonight.  On the Pacific slope, the forecast indicates partly to mostly cloudy skies during the morning, with rain over maritime areas such as the Gulf of Chiriquí, southern Veraguas, the Azuero coast, the Gulf of Panama, and Darién.

Showers of varying intensity accompanied by thunderstorms are expected in the afternoons, especially in mountainous areas. Cloud cover will persist throughout the night across the entire slope.  Maximum temperatures will range between 28°C and 31°C in the Caribbean and between 29°C and 33°C in the Pacific. In mountainous areas and the Central Mountain Range, temperatures will range between 19°C and 26°C. 

Regarding maritime conditions, the IMHPA reported that waves between 1 and 1.2 meters high, with periods of 8 to 9 seconds, are expected along the Caribbean coast. Meanwhile, waves between 0.8 and 1.6 meters high, with periods of 15 to 16 seconds, are forecast along the Pacific coast, so a state of caution is maintained for maritime activities.  The agency also noted that UV-B radiation levels will remain moderate to very high, with values ​​between 5 and 10, and therefore recommended taking protective measures against prolonged sun exposure. 

According to the agency’s weather bulletin, partly cloudy to cloudy skies are expected during the mornings on the Caribbean slope, accompanied by intermittent rains of varying intensity in areas of Colón and the Guna Yala region over the next few days.  On the Pacific coast, the forecast indicates partly to mostly cloudy skies during the mornings, with rain over maritime areas such as the Gulf of Chiriquí, southern Veraguas, the Azuero coast, the Gulf of Panama, and Darién.  

BLUE MOON

NASA warns of the spectacular Blue Moon that will light up the sky this May 31st.  In addition to being a special full moon, this occasion will be accompanied by a micromoon, considered the smallest and most distant of the year as seen from Earth.  The end of May will bring one of the most striking astronomical phenomena of the year. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, known as NASA, confirmed that an unusual Blue Moon will be visible on May 31, a rare event that has sparked the interest of millions of observers around the world. 

NASA highlighted the significance of this astronomical phenomenon and noted that May also began under a full moon. “At the beginning of April, the Artemis II mission launched under the light of a full moon, offering us spectacular new views of the first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years, and now, May concludes with another lunar moment: a full moon on May 31. This time, it’s a Blue Moon,” experts from the U.S. space agency pointed out.

Although the term might be confusing, a so-called Blue Moon doesn’t actually change color or take on any visible blue hues. The concept is used to describe the second full moon that occurs within a single calendar month, a relatively rare phenomenon due to the typical length of lunar cycles. Experts explain that this event happens approximately every two to three years, which is why the popular English expression “once in a blue moon” arose, used to describe something infrequent.