Location: Belize
Event:
Issued by Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) as of 9:00 AM local time on Friday, November 15, 2024.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING DECLARED FROM BELIZE CITY SOUTHWARD TO THE BORDER WITH GUATEMALA, INCLUDING ALL OF THE OFFSHORE CAYES IN BELIZEAN WATERS
At 9 am local time, Tropical Storm Sara was located near latitude 16.1N, longitude 86.0W, or about 175 miles east-southeast of Belize City. Sara was moving to the west at 7 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. A continued slow westward motion is expected for the next day or two. A slow west-northwestward motion is forecast by late Saturday.
On the forecast track, the center of Sara will continue to move near the northern coast of Honduras through early on Saturday, and then make landfall over southern Belize early on Sunday. Some strengthening is expected, and Sara could have maximum sustained winds of around 60 to 70 mph at landfall in Belize. A tropical storm warning has been declared from Belize City southward to the border with Guatemala. Residents outside the warning area are advised to carefully monitor the situation, as tropical storm-force winds in gusts could affect the entire country.
The main threat from this system will be heavy rainfall. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches have already been recorded since midday on Thursday, and an additional 5 to 10 inches with locally higher values are possible through to Sunday. This rainfall is resulting in flooding in some areas of the country. Strong, gusty winds are producing rough sea conditions. A small craft warning is currently in effect, so mariners operating small vessels are advised to seek or remain in safe harbour and not to venture out to sea. Strong winds may result in some minor damage to weak structures.
Hazards Expected to Affect Belize:
- Excess Rainfall – Heavy rainfall (5 – 10 inches with locally higher values), which can result in significant and life-threatening flooding.
- High Wind – Winds of up to 60 to 70 miles per hour are possible within the impact area. This may result in damage to structures, crops, and trees.
- Storm Surge – A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is possible in areas of onshore flow near where the centre of the system moves inland.
Flood Forecast:
Flood Warning remains in effect for the Central and Northern Region – Rio Hondo, Macal, Mopan, and Belize Rivers. The San Roman and San Antonio Roads in the Orange Walk Districts remain flooded.
Transportation Updates as of 10:00 AM local time on Friday, November 15:
- San Pedro Belize Express are operating as scheduled
- Caribbean Sprinter Ltd. are not operating on Saturday, November 16
- Maya Air and Tropic Air are operating as scheduled
-
- All operator plan to update their social media accounts with any changes.
- Contact your tour operator, transportation provider, accommodations provider, and/or travel agent regarding individual bookings.
We recommend that you continue to closely monitor local conditions via the NEMO at https://site.nemo.org.bz/ and the National Hurricane Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ .
ACTIONS TO TAKE:
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts: https://step.state.gov/
- Seek secure shelter. Belize Shelter List: https://site.nemo.org.bz/emergencies/shelters/
- Have travel documents up to date and easily accessible.
- Prepare an emergency supply kit: https://www.ready.gov/
- Notify friends and family of your safety.
- Visit the National Hurricane Center, for updated storm tracking information.
- Monitor guidelines issued by local authorities and local media for updates.
For assistance:
U.S. Embassy Belmopan, Floral Park Road, Belmopan, Cayo, Belize
+501 822-4011
ACSBelize@state.gov
https://bz.usembassy.gov/
Department of State’s country information and travel advisory on Belize
+1 888-407-4747 or +1 202-501-4444
Enroll in STEP at step.state.gov to receive alerts.
Follow us on Facebook and X
