Here’s the Updated Hurricane Season Forecast 

A below-average Atlantic hurricane season does not mean Belize is in the clear. Regional and international forecasters are warning that while fewer tropical cyclones are expected this year, excessive rainfall could still trigger flooding and flash floods across the country. 

The Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) says strengthening El Niño conditions and warming Caribbean waters are expected to shape weather patterns through the remainder of the wet season.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects 7 to 13 named storms, 2 to 6 hurricanes, and 0 to 2 major hurricanes for the season, a reduction from its earlier forecast.

Meanwhile, CariCOF also predicts increasingly intense humid heat heading into September and a slower-than-normal increase in rainfall across much of the region. Frequent intrusions of Saharan dust are also expected, which would help suppress tropical cyclone development while worsening heat and reducing air quality in the region.