Chief Met: “Over 15 Inches of Rain Seen in Some Stations”

The National Meteorological Service (NMS) has issued weather alerts due to Tropical Storm Sarah, which is expected to make landfall on Sunday. In a briefing this morning, Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon explained that the storm is located about 140 miles southeast of Belize City, moving west-northwest at a slow pace with maximum winds of 45 miles per hour.

A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect for the entire Belize coastline and offshore areas. A Small Craft Warning has also been issued since yesterday and remains in effect, advising boat operators to stay in safe harbor. The weather will remain stormy today and tomorrow, with “squally and gusty winds and continued rainfall,” Gordon said.

Heavy rainfall has already been reported across the country, with one station recording over 15 inches of rain. Some areas have seen almost 4 inches in the past 12–18 hours.

“We expect conditions to remain cloudy tomorrow with showers persisting and decreasing later in the afternoon, afternoon into the night. By Monday, we expect fair conditions,” Gordon said, adding that the weather should improve just in time for the 19th of November celebrations.

Gordon said that the storm’s disorganised structure suggests that most of the heavy weather is occurring well ahead of its center. “A lot of the activity is occurring away from the centre,” he explained. This means that once the storm makes landfall tomorrow, conditions may improve quickly.