The National Hydrological Service has released its flood bulletin ahead of the weekend's stormy weather from Tropical Storm Julia.
They say the New River in northern Belize is near the flood stage. On the Sibun River at Freetown Sibun and on the Southern Lagoon Near Gales Point, Manatee flood stage levels are expected.
With the rains this weekend, the Belize River at Double run is expected to increase to the flood stage. On The Crooked Tree Lagoon, flood levels are expected to exceed the spillway. Flood-stage levels are also expected on the Mopan River at Benque Viejo Town. On the Macal River at all BECOL facilities, there is the possibility of levels exceeding the spillway. In San Ignacio, there is a high possibility that the low-level bridge will become inundated.
So, while the forecasts say that Belize won't be hit directly by a tropical storm or a hurricane, Julia's outer bands will dump a lot of rain all over the country. So, if you had prior plans for your 3-day weekend, the Chief Meteorologist is advising that you stay at home instead and ensure your safety:
Ronald Gordon - Chief Meteorologist
"I certainly would advise people not to do that. It's bad weather, and you don't want to be on the roads during heavy rainfall. You don't want to be on the seas during heavy thunderstorms and rough seas. So, it would be inadvisable to go about your merry way and make those types of preparation or do that type of activity. It's best to remain at home safe. The roads can be treacherous during bad weather. So, my advice for persons is to stay home this weekend. But again, there is no mandatory - as far as I'm aware, there is no run out there mandating that persons cannot travel. But we can only advise. The weather is going to be bad. We're not gonna direct landfall from a hurricane or a tropical storm, but it's going to be bad weather. So, the wise thing to do is to remain in a shelter, to remain at home, where you are safe."
