Showers Possible After Back-to-Back Heat Alerts and 101-Degree Temps

After back-to-back heat alerts this week, the country could be seeing some showers headed into the weekend.  Data from the Met Service shows that daytime temperatures, particularly in inland areas, have been soaring over the past few days. Notably, the temperature in the Cayo District peaked at a scorching 101 degrees Fahrenheit yesterday. Nighttime temperatures in coastal areas have also remained above 80 degrees this week. Francisca Wellington, forecaster at the National Met Service, says that these temperatures are not out of the ordinary for this time of year, but that the heat is compounded by the humidity.

Francisca Wellington, Forecaster, National Meteorological Service: “April is the driest and May is the hottest. So currently we are in May and these temperatures that we are experiencing they are nothing new. Every year we get temperatures like this, some years higher than others but it’s a normal pattern for Belize. It’s the dry season and there is no record breaking temperatures.  What makes it very uncomfortable is that we have high humidity. So the higher the humidity, it will increase or recall the heat index. So for example, let’s say the temperature is 97, you will be feeling like it’s 105. But this is a normal thing every year. It is a dry season and these temperatures are expected during this time. I know yesterday that we were in the hundreds. I don’t recall the highest temperature, but we were in the hundreds. And we could probably see that tomorrow again. It’s quite possible.”

Wellington says that isolated shower activity could be seen as early as tomorrow night, but the public is still advised to take precautions against the heat.

Francisca Wellington, Forecaster, National Meteorological Service: “For the next couple of days starting Thursday night we will see a slight increase in moisture, meaning that we’re going from little or no rain to isolated showers. And for the Toledo district specifically we’ll see a little bit more than isolated, a few, and we could even be seeing isolated thunderstorms. So that’s from Thursday night through to Saturday. As usual, we try to advise the public especially those inland to stay hydrated, to stay indoors as much as possible. If you don’t have to be outside stay in the shade.  And we are still in the dry season, as I said. We have a fire forecast going on at this time so the fire risk for bushfires and forest fires is very high and so we ask people to be very careful in lighting fires and throwing cigarette butts all those sorts of things.”

Forecaster Wellington noted that the hottest temperature on record for Belize is 110 Fahrenheit, which was recorded in Belmopan in 1976.