Every year in the Gulf of Panama, between December and April, trade winds from the north push warm surface water away from the coast, allowing cool, nutrient-rich water from the depths to rise, in a process called upwelling. This is critical for the region’s marine life and fisheries. However, for the first time in at least 40 years, this upwelling failed in 2025, likely due to altered trade winds, a recent study reports. Researchers compared this year’s data to 40 years of satellite sea surface temperature records and on-site water column temperature recordings. Those decades of data show that northerly trade winds predictably arrive each year between January and April. Historically, upwelling begins by Jan. 20 and lasts for 66 days, cooling the water to roughly 19° Celsius (66° Fahrenhei

See Full Page