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Belize lies in
subtropical latitude, so the weather is generally warm by European
standards. Local climates are largely determined by
altitude, with the Maya Mountains pleasantly cool and the
lowland jungles usually steamy and humid, no matter what the time of
year. The coast and offshore cayes can be sweltering, but most of
the time the heat is tempered by cooling ocean breezes. Humidity is
most marked in the rainy season - officially from May to
November - when mornings are generally clear and afternoons often
drenched by downpours. The worst of the rain falls in September and
October - also the height of the hurricane season; see below for
more information. In the more remote southern parts of the country
roads can be flooded and journeys delayed, though the rains often
continue through to December, when cold fronts push down from
the north, occasionally lowering temperatures to around 10°C. The
best time of year to visit is from December to March, when the
vegetation is lush and the skies are generally clear. This coincides
with the peak tourist season, though many people also visit during
the summer. Late March to May, before the onset of the first rains,
can often be stiflingly hot.
Perhaps the most serious weather threat is from hurricanes,
which occasionally sweep through the Caribbean in the late summer
and autumn. If you're on the coast or the cayes, you'll hear about
it long before the storm hits. Wind speeds can exceed 120km per
hour, but rest assured that the country has an efficient warning
system and a network of shelters. If you hear even a rumor of a
hurricane you should keep your eye on the Weather Channel's hourly
"Tropical Update" - shown more frequently when a storm threatens.
You'd be well advised to leave cayes and coastal areas two days
before the hurricane's expected landfall - if you put off leaving
until the locals start to evacuate you're probably too late.
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 Belize
travel guide
Caribbean
guide
Go
inland to Cayo District as early as you can and you'll have a choice
of where to sit out the storm, preferably in a hotel or lodge
recommended in the Rough Guide; you really don't want to be
in an overcrowded and probably unsanitary hurricane shelter. You can
find excellent, up-to-date weather information, including daily
reports, forecasts and, best of all, a satellite photo of the whole
Caribbean and Central America on
Google Earth |
Belize
Belize City
Where to go
When to go
Getting around
Costs, money, banks
Currency, exchange
 Eating
and drinking
Mail &
communications
Safety and the police
Work and study
Information
The media
Holidays
and festivals
Shopping,
souvenirs
Belize city
Arrival and information
Restaurants
Nightlife,
entertainment
Tours,
buses
Listings
Travel details
Explore Belize City
North side
South side
Cayo and the west
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Belize city
to San
Ignacio
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Belize zoo
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Belmopan
Practicalities
Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Guanacaste
Park
Benque Viejo del Carmen
Caracol Ruins
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
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San Antonio
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San Ignacio
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Arrival
Restaurants
Kayaking,canoeing
Xunantunich, San Jose
Corozal, Orange Walk
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Travel details |
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