By Belize Live News Staff: The umbrellas were warned, and now the watches make it official. A tropical wave is bearing down on Belize with the wettest forecast in weeks, and the National Meteorological Service has raised an Excessive Rainfall Watch, 2 to 4 inches possible countrywide over the next 24 to 48 hours, with the south, once again, first in line for the heaviest.
The setup is straightforward wet-season business: the approaching wave feeds moist, unstable air across the country, turning today cloudy with only a few sunny breaks and building outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms over most areas, heaviest across the south and central belts, with tonight staying cloudy and active.
For the southern districts, the watch carries extra weight. July’s floods left ground still soft and rivers still touchy, and 2 to 4 inches on that foundation earns respect. The guidance is simple and worth repeating around every table tonight: monitor the weather, follow updates from the National Hydrological Service and NEMO, never drive or walk through flooded roads, and move valuables up early in flood-prone yards, before the water decides for you.
The sea posts its own warning. A Small Craft Caution covers gusty winds and locally rough seas near the heavy showers, with east to north winds of 10 to 20 knots and waves running a serious 4 to 7 feet. The cayes runs and fishing trips that cannot wait should pick their windows carefully. The ones that can wait, should.
The one comfort in the bulletin is the biggest: no tropical cyclone formation is expected in the region over the next 48 hours. The wave is carrying rain, not a name.
The clouds at least pay a small dividend, trimming the heat to 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius) inland with a low of 74 (23 Celsius), 87 degrees Fahrenheit (31 Celsius) on the coast with a low of 82 (28 Celsius), and a mild 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius) in the hills, easing to 68 (20 Celsius).
Wednesday keeps the outbreaks coming through the day before they gradually stand down at night, meaning the worst of this event should be measured in these next 36 hours.
Stay dry where you can, Belize, stay alert where you must, and let the south know the country is watching the skies with them.
As for the tides, today’s highs fall at 8:24 AM and 9:50 PM, with lows at 3:48 PM and 2:50 AM tomorrow. The sun rose at 5:34 AM and sets this evening at 6:20 PM. This forecast was prepared by forecaster Catherine Cumberbatch.
