Technically, January in Panama is well into Central America's "dry season" when the days are hot and sunny, and the nights near shore are usually cooled by light breezes. It doesn't rain often, or for very long; but when a rain squall does come: boy howdy.
Here's what a typical dry-season squall looks like, as it engulfs the downtown Panama City high rises, obscures the view, and rumbles toward the Casco Antiguo district. You can see by these salty sailors' expressions that they'd prefer running for cover instead of letting me take their picture:
Just a few minutes later the rain starts at the front line of the squall and the wind suddenly arrives - with force. Thunder and lightning may occur close by. Check out those palm trees blowing in the wind as our prudent tourists exit stage right.
In this situation it is advisable to let the squall pass by spending a couple hours in the shelter of the nearest wine bar, listening to each other's sea stories and fairy tales. By the time a round or two has been quaffed, the squall has moved on, the cruisers have dried off, and tourism may comfortably resume.
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