Weather

At 6 am local time, Tropical Storm Sara was located near latitude 16.1N, longitude 85.5W, or about 205 miles east-southeast of Belize City. Sara was moving to the west at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. A continued westward motion at a slower forward speed is expected for the next day or two. A slow west-northwestward motion is forecast by late Saturday.

At 3 pm local time, tropical storm Sara was located near latitude 15.9N, longitude 83.5W, or about 330 miles east by south of Belize City. Sara was moving to the west at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. A westward motion at a slower forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. A slow west-northwestward motion is forecast by late Saturday.

On Thursday, November 14th, Tropical Storm Sara formed just north of the coast of Honduras. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour and is moving west at a speed of 12 miles per hour. According to the National Meteorological Service of Belize, the tropical storm is expected to impact the area late Sunday or Monday morning, bringing heavy rainfall.

Belize’s central and northern areas were hit with heavy rain as Tropical Storm Nadine landed on Saturday, October 19th. In San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, several streets experienced flooding, beaches were left with storm debris, and erosion could be observed in some areas. The local branch of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) did not report any major damage to residential and commercial properties after the storm's passage.

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.

At 3 pm local time, potential tropical cyclone 15 (PTC 15) was located near latitude 17.5N, longitude 85.0W or about 210 miles east of Belize City. PTC 15 was moving to the west-northwest at 7 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. A general westward motion is expected tonight before the system reaches land tomorrow. Slight strengthening is expected an the system could become a low end tropical storm with winds of around 40-50 mph before it makes landfall over Belize tomorrow.

The National Meteorological Service of Belize (NMSB) and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) are closely monitoring the Southwest Caribbean Sea, where models suggest a potential for tropical cyclone development later this week. While current chances of formation remain low, with near 0% probability over the next 48 hours and 30% within seven days, the situation could still evolve. In a worst-case scenario, a tropical depression or storm could form by Thursday or Friday, moving over Northern Nicaragua or Honduras, weakening before its remnants pass over Belize late Friday into Saturday, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall. The public is reminded that forecasts are subject to change, however, and NMSB and NEMO will continue to closely monitor the system and provide timely updates on any significant developments.

Several coastal areas of the country, including San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, have been affected by King Tides that accompanied this month's supermoon. The unusually high tide has flooded low-lying areas and streets without proper drainage systems. In San Pedro, residents are asked to exercise caution when traversing low-lying areas. At the same time, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) crew continues to monitor and assess key areas for repairs.