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There are two weather systems in the area moving toward Belize, one of which could start bringing rain as early as tonight. The National Weather Service is closely monitoring both systems, one of which is expected to bring more than four inches of rain. Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon said the chances of the first system developing into a tropical depression are low because it is close to making landfall.
Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon: “Right now, we will soon be impacted by a tropical wave, along with a broad area of low pressure that is approaching the region. It is currently located off the northeast coast of Honduras, moving toward the west or west-northwest at about 15 miles per hour. There is a very small chance that this system will develop into a tropical depression or storm before it reaches us. This is very unlikely. This system will soon be impacted by land. Therefore, the chances of development are low. However, regardless of how a tropical cyclone develops, this system will increase rainfall across the country. Rainfall will begin tonight and continue through Friday into Saturday as the system moves through the region. The maximum rainfall we are seeing over the three days from tonight through Sunday morning is about 4 to 6 inches, so according to the models, these are model estimates and localized values could be higher, so residents should be alert for heavy rains.”
Gordon said another system is further away and more likely to develop. That system won’t impact the country until sometime next week.
Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon: “Forecasts are only one side of the story. So like I said, you can always get locally higher values. I believe you’re referring to our site in La Democracia, which recorded about 13 inches during that event. So you can get locally higher values, and you see the impact that had on the highway. So fortunately, in that case, most of the rainfall was not in population centers like Belize City. That’s the unfortunate thing about these forecasts. You can’t say for sure where the highest rainfall is going to be. So we do advise residents to be aware of heavy rains and potential flooding throughout the country, especially along the coasts, the central coast including Belize City, and even in the north of the country. I think people are watching for another system further out in the Atlantic that has a higher chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next three days or so. The models are predicting it will move toward the Lesser Antilles around Monday of next week. It’s another system that’s further out into the Caribbean. After that, there’s a lot of disagreement about where it’s going to go. So we need to monitor that very carefully as well, but if it does become a threat to the country, it will continue into the end of next week, or the weekend after that.”
Based on the weather forecast, Belize City Council issued a weather alert early this evening. Council called on commuters travelling to and from the city to exercise caution as flooding is possible. Council also urged residents in flood-prone areas to stay updated with the latest information from official sources.
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