Sapp House · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Hardly any U.S. towns collect more precipitation than Panama City: 58 inches a year
Sunny July days climb to about 91°. In January, nights here are milder than in 91% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.0° above 1901–2000. Plan time outside from October to April, when highs sit at 64–81°.
A year in Panama City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Panama City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Panama City’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Panama City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 301 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 15 and the first by December 12. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Panama City 5n, FL, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Panama City’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 23°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 58 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain falls on about 100 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Panama City 5n, FL, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Panama City
31% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Panama City 5n, FL.
Living with Panama City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
301 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Feb 15 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 27 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Panama City from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (78%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Panama City and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Panama City in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Panama City’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City, FL | 42° | 91° | 58" | 0.0" |
| Morgan City, LA | 44° | 91° | 60" | 0.0" |
| Baytown, TX | 44° | 91° | 57" | 0.0" |
| Natchez, MS | 38° | 92° | 58" | 0.0" |
| Magalia, CA | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Panama City averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°).
A smaller shift than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Panama City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Panama City’s place among Florida’s.
Panama City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Panama City’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Panama City 5n, FL. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64° | 42° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| February | 67° | 45° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 65° |
| March | 73° | 50° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 55° – 69° |
| April | 79° | 56° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| May | 85° | 64° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| June | 89° | 71° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| July | 91° | 73° | 6.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| August | 90° | 73° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| September | 87° | 69° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| October | 81° | 59° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| November | 72° | 49° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 68° |
| December | 65° | 44° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 45° – 64° |
| Year | 78° | 58° | 57.8" | 0.0" | 100 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 45° to 64°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Panama City’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Panama City’s center.
- Snow: Panama City 5n, FL.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Panama City 5n, FL, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Panama City’s climate
What is the weather like in Panama City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Panama City in winter?
January nights average 42°. About 17 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 46°.
How much snow does Panama City get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Panama City 5n, FL, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Panama City?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 73°. About 67 days a year reach 90° (Panama City 5n, FL).
When is the first and last frost in Panama City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 15 and the first fall frost by December 12, about 301 frost-free days, at Panama City 5n, FL.
What growing zone is Panama City in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 23°.
What is the best time of year to visit Panama City?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Panama City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 80% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Panama City.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.