National Meteorological Service

Tropical Storm conditions associated with Nadine are spreading over coastal parts of the Corozal, Belize and Stann Creek Districts. The National Meteorological Service’s weather station at Half Moon Caye recently reported a wind gust of 43 mph. A Tropical Storm warning remains in effect from Belize City northward to the Border with Mexico. At 9am local time, Tropical Storm Nadine was located near latitude 17.3N, longitude 87.9W or about 25 miles southeast of Belize City. Nadine was moving to the west at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. A general westward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected for the remainder of today before the tropical storm makes landfall along the coast of Belize in a few hours. No significant strengthening is expected before the system makes landfall.

To build a climate-resistant community, on Monday, August 19th, the National Meteorological Service (NMS) of Belize officially inaugurated the Caye Caulker Weather Station under the leadership of the Area Representative, Honorable Andre Perez. This new infrastructure, Automatic Weather Stations, joined the many installed across the country and will enhance the monitoring of weather and climate data for residents on the Cayes. The pivotal project was made possible through US$8 million in funding from the Global Environment Facility via the World Bank. The project is called 'Energy Resilience for Climate Adaptation' and was partly co-financed by the Government of Belize.

Hurricane Beryl, a potentially devastating force, is expected to reach the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, late on Thursday evening, July 4th, bringing with it tropical storm-force winds. This poses a significant threat to northern Belize, including San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and Caulker. Residents are strongly advised to stay vigilant and make necessary preparations. Voluntary evacuation is recommended, and the deadline for doing so is Wednesday, July 3rd.

The sky over San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, has been hazy and dusty for the past few days because of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) from the Sahara Desert in northern Africa. This phenomenon is also responsible for the current heat wave. The National Meteorological Service has advised the public to stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activities as much as possible, particularly during afternoon hours.

Belize, through the National Meteorological Service (NMS) within the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, has been selected as one of the first countries globally to benefit from the World Meteorological Organization's (WMOs) Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF).

On November 15, 2022, the Ministry of Economic Development, through the Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) Program, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Meteorological Service (MET) of Belize for subcomponent 2.3 of the RRB ─ Investment in Territorial Climate Resilient Assets. This calls for the procurement of a Climate Information System (CIS) that will be housed at the MET Office in Ladyville and used as the principal mechanism through which information about climate will be archived, analysed, modelled, exchanged, and processed.

On Wednesday, August 24th, residents on Ambergris Caye were surprised to see the beaches full of Sargassum. The previous day the shoreline appeared free of the brown algae; just hours later, the beaches were choked with the brown seaweed, with more expected in the coming days.

On July 11, 2022, the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government embarked on a five-day training session on geophysical water detection techniques using electrical resistivity technology. The training is being provided for the Rural Water and Supply Unit and some of the Rural Community Development Officers. Representatives from the Hydrology and Geology departments, the National Meteorological Service, the National Climate Change Office and the Belize Social Investment Fund are also participating.