Overview

• El Niño doubled the likelihood of low precipitation in Panama during 2023, leading to reduced water levels in Lake Gatun.
• The low water levels prompted the Panama Canal Authority to limit the size and number of ships, affecting global shipping.
• Climate models indicate that human-caused climate change did not significantly influence the dry conditions experienced last year.
• Researchers utilized over 140 years of rainfall data, reinforcing confidence in El Niño's impact on the weather anomaly.
• The findings emphasize the importance of natural variability in understanding weather extremes.