Tocumen International Airport

Located in the tropics, Panama's climate is highly influenced by both its latitude and the surrounding oceans. Perhaps the climatic features most significant to aviation include the region's prevailing winds, precipitation, and temperatures. Such factors may interact to create adverse flying conditions.

The Central American country of Panama is located on a land

bridge between North and South America (Andrew A-10). This narrow strip of ground, or isthmus, runs approximately northwest to southeast. It separates the Caribbean Sea in the north from the Pacific Ocean to the south. Panama is flanked by Costa Rica to the west, and Columbia to the east. The country is up to 480 miles long. Moreover, its width varies from 35 miles to 110 miles (Benton 49).

Panama's surface topography is highly variable. Its geomorphology, for example, ranges from mountains to swamps. The mountain systems consist of an assortment of various "loosely-connected" ridges (Benton 49). Approximately 63% of the country's terrain consists of hills less than 3,200 feet in height. Much of this terrain is covered by rain forests. However, western Panama's Volcßn Bar· rises to an elevation of over 11,300 feet (Moreno 130-131). Formerly known as the Volcßn de Chiriquf, the volcano has been inactive for thousands of years (Meditz & Hanratty 72-74). The geomorphology of Panama is also greatly influenced by its surrounding oceans. Indeed

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he Caribbean Sea, for instance, is fed by warm offshoots of the Atlantic North Equatorial Current. The surface temperature of this water ranges between 73 and 84(F, and forms a "veritable caldron," consequently giving rise to a tropical marine air mass (West & Augelli 36-44). Moreover, to the south, the surface waters bordering on Panama are fed by the northern extension of the Pacific Equatorial Counter Current. This current also gives rise to a tropical marine air mass. The Pacific maritime tropical air mass is partly responsible for the region's high year-round temperatures and low annual temperature range. Besides relatively high temperatures, Panama's climate is characterized by considerable rainfall. The country's rainy season generally coincides with the hotter months. In contrast, the weather from December through April tends to be cooler and drier. Annual rainfall in Panama ranges from 40 to 155 inches, depending on the locality. Rainfall is heaviest along the Caribbean coastline and decreases towards the Pacific. It is controlled by the following factors: (1) pressure areas and associated winds; (2) air masses; and (3) configuration of the land surface. For example, moisture from the Caribbean is typically t
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1913
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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