November 2019 Weather Summary for Belize
November is the last month of the Atlantic basin hurricane season. For Belize it is a month in which the climate of the country transitions gradually from the rainy season to the cooler transition period between December and January. Therefore, it is a month in which the country is affected from both tropical systems such as tropical waves and possible tropical cyclones as well as frontal systems.
The first day of November 2019 started off relatively moist. A cold front was just north of Yucatan while a tropical wave was over the west/central Caribbean Sea near 80W. Moisture convergence between these features supported a few showers, periods of rain and isolated thunderstorms across the country. Similar conditions persisted the following day. However, low level moisture decreased somewhat on the 3rd. A few showers and thunderstorms persisted over northern and coastal areas that morning but decreased later in the afternoon.
Although conditions continued relatively dry for most areas of the country during the night of the 3rd through early morning of the 4th, a very localized but intense rainfall event occurred over the western Cayo District during the early morning hours of the 4th. Reports from the automatic weather station at Chaa Creek indicated that a total of 137.2 mm of rain fell within a four-hour period from 1 am to 5 am during the early morning hours of the 4th. This resulted in flooding in various areas including Benque Viejo, Succotz, San Antonio and Cristo Rey. NHC analysis suggested that a tropical wave may have aided in this activity as one was analyzed mostly to the south of the country around midnight between the 3rd and the 4th. Conditions improved for the remainder of the 4th but a few more showers occurred again during the night into early morning of the 5th.
Moisture decreased further on the 6th and showers were generally isolated in a diurnal pattern that day. NHC's analysis suggests the passage of another tropical wave early that day but this system was not very active. Except for shower activity over the south, south-coast and off shore areas, the 7th continued generally fair for most other areas. A third tropical wave for the month crossed the country late on the 8th producing a few showers mostly over the southern half of the country.
Shower activity was isolated across the country on the 9th and 10th even though a front had dipped south extending across Yucatan/just north of the country by the 10th. The system stalled and dissipated in that general vicinity by the 11th. Showers continued generally isolated.
The ridge shifted eastward by the 21st causing winds to veer more to the east. This influx of maritime moisture along with a weak surface trough along the coast of Belize supported the development of isolated showers and light rain mainly over northern and central areas. Similar conditions persisted the following day. Conditions were generally fair on the 23rd with isolated showers affected mainly the San Pedro area.
On the 24th a few showers affected the South overnight and the Maya Mountains during the afternoon. Elsewhere, conditions continued generally fair. Mainly fair and dry weather continued on the 25th and 26th with very little rainfall except for small isolated showers across the country.
Moisture increased a bit on the 27th with the approach of a tropical wave. This supported a few showers and thunderstorms over offshore and central areas in the late afternoon into nighttime hours. The tropical wave (the fourth for the month) crossed late in the evening/early night of the 27th. Residual moisture from this system supported a few more showers mostly over the Maya Mountains on the 28th. The last two days of November 2019 saw generally fair weather with only isolated showers developing.
In summary, a total of four tropical waves and one cold front affected the country in November 2019. Except for the first wave which helped to produce an intense but very localized rainfall event over the extreme western Cayo district, these waves were rather weak and did not produce significant rainfall. The cold front did not produce intense shower and thunderstorm activity with its passage either. As a result, rainfall for the month was well below normal for most areas except over western Cayo where rainfall was near normal due to the singular event mentioned above.
Click on the link below for the November 2019 rainfall map:
