Why does Panama’s Caribbean coast receive more rain than its Pacific coast?

Panama’s Caribbean coast receives significantly more rainfall than its Pacific coast primarily due to the influence of the Tabasarí Mountains.

The Caribbean slopes of these mountains face the moisture-laden trade winds, which force the air to rise and release precipitation as it moves inland. Consequently, the Caribbean side experiences nearly twice as much rainfall as the leeward Pacific slopes, which are sheltered from these winds. While the Caribbean coast receives between 60 and 140 inches of rain annually with year-round distribution, the Pacific region receives less—between 45 and 90 inches—and experiences a more pronounced seasonal dry period.1