Break open the barrels and brace for the smell of camphor balls because tonight's going to be a cold one. That is right - our best advice right now is to haul out those blankets and sweaters you've been wanting to wear and use. You'll need them tonight because temperatures will dip to as low as 50 degrees. That is in the hills in Cayo but in Belize City the forecasted low will be 62 degrees. A strong cold front is to blame and today we went to the weather experts for the details and on the streets for reaction. Keith Swift has the story. Keith Swift Reporting,
Jackets and sweaters were the order of the day as those in the city tried to cope with this morning's sudden drop in temperature.
Woman #1: The weather right now is rough because I am cold right now.
And while the temperature is one thing - the wind was another. This is the reading at 11 am at the Met Office in Ladyville. It says 14 knots an hour but in the city it was stronger. The wicked winds whipped up these dramatic waves along the city's coastline and had palm trees all across the city dancing. The winds also tore branches off these trees - and not even the Christmas tree atop the Belize Bank on Albert Street was spared.
The winds, the drop in temperature, and the rains are part of what weather experts call an arctic cold air incursion. In other words it is a cold front,
a very strong one. And though it is fast moving - Acting Chief Meteorologist Ramon Frutos says it will be punishing. This is a satellite image of the front which Frutos says moved into Belize from the United States early this morning.
Ramon Frutos, Acting Chief Meteorologist
"The cold front extending from the southwestern Atlantic across Central Cuba to southern Belize. That is the position of the cold front this morning. And the system that is actually controlling all of this is the center of this high pressure system up here which we call a continental high pressure system and it is very intense because its 1,148 millibars. It is a very strong system."
A very strong system and Frutos says that means it is cold and it will get much colder.
Ramon Frutos,
"Right now the temperature is in the mid 60s, about I think about 65 to 68, and we expect it to drop about ten degrees up in the elevated areas of the country. So it will be down to 52 tonight in the Baldy Beacon area. And in the Belize City area along the coast in the lower 60s, about 62 or degrees."
Keith Swift,
What is the normal temperature at night?
Ramon Frutos,
"About 70 degrees for Belize City."
Keith Swift,
So it is going to be a bit cooler tonight?
Ramon Frutos,
"It will be much cooler tonight or colder for some people, especially up in the Mountain Pine Ridge. Tonight I
wouldn't want to be in the Mountain Pine Ridge because it will be around 50 degrees. 50 degrees is about ten degrees Celsius."
The good news is the rain will dwindle but along with those lower temperatures - there will be stronger winds and bigger waves. A small craft warning was issued on from Monday.
Ramon Frutos,
"Usually when you have a northerly wind - a northerly flow associated with these high pressure system - they usually bring very strong gusty
winds from the north and it produces locally rough seas or rough seas on a whole right through our coastal waters and hence we issued this small craft warning."
Cool temperatures and strong winds - that was good news to those we met today.
KS: What you think of the weather?
Woman #2: I like it.
KS: I see you have on your jean jacket.
Woman #2: Yes, I came all the way from Sittee River. The
weather is good but coming through the Hummingbird it rain rain rain.
KS: So you like it when its cold like this?
Woman #2: Its cool.
KS: Are you enjoying the weather?
Woman #3: Right.
KS: What you think about it?
Woman #3: The weather is nice, its good.
They'll have to enjoy it while they can because it won't last long. Frutos says it should be gone by the end of the week - but it will return on Saturday and then it could get ugly.
Ramon Frutos,
"This cold front, after it has moved across Belize today and into let's say the central part of the coast of Central America and the western Caribbean - it is likely with the movement of the high pressure system, very quickly towards the north east. This could cause this front to retrogress or come back over us as a warm front and it could bring a lot of rain with it come Saturday and Friday."
But that's then - for now the weather will be cool and dry. Frutos says that will be the case for most of the month.
Ramon Frutos,
"We expect the cool conditions to continue during January. We expect a couple more outbreaks of cold air into our region during January and February and it depends on what happens up into the United States, in the northern region. It will influence our weather so it is possible we will see a cool January and even more of February should remain relatively mild."
We should note that January is usually the coldest month on record. The record low isn't expected to be broken tonight. And while the temperature might not have disrupted your day - it halted the cruise tourism industry. A Holland America Ship destined for Belize was diverted this morning because of the weather. Tomorrow is Thursday - a big cruise ship day and three ships are expected. So far none of those have been cancelled.
