Hi everyone, my wife and I are thinking about going to Belize in October. October because we own a cabin resort in Arizona and only slow down in October.

Anyway, is this a good time to go to look at the area, look for property/rentals, etc?

What will the weather be like?

Thanks alot,
Paul

USUALLY October is about 50% sunny days and 50% stormy-overcast. It is the riskiest month of the year for storms in Belize.

Forecasters have predicted that 2003 will see hurricane activity 50% above normal. Hurricane SEason in the tropical atlantic is from June 1 to November 30. Every rebion within that the Tropical Atlantic experiences differnt patterns during that time. For Belize, most of "Hurricane Season" is nothing to worry about ----- lovely weather, great diving, etc. Our troubles come late in the season.

September is the time of "peak storm/hurricane activity" in the Caribbean basin. October appears to be the "peak" time for Belize.

We have entered a "more active" weather phase (predicted to last several years) in the region.

Belize --- not much serious weather trouble for many years, as we are situated in an area that is supposed to be "difficult" for a storm to reach due to land masses, etc ........ But then.....

October 20-something 1999 - Hurricane Mitch. At first it appeared that Belize would suffer a direct hit from this mega-storm with sustained winds over 200 MPH(dubbed storm of the century). A high-pressure system stalled it (allowing it to get stronger and stronger) and then pushed Mitch down to the Bay Islands off Honduras. Impact on Belize - evacuations / the country esentially shut down for a week. 90% of the piers on AC were lost. Extensive flooding on mainland from intense rains.

October 1 - 2000 - Hurricane Keith - category 4 - stalled over AC and Caye Caulker. Occasionally this event can be seen on the travel channel in a segment called "Vacation Disasters". REALLY bad. Unfortunately most of us on AC got front row seats, as Keith went from a little nothing of a storm predicted to pass us by, to a cat-4 headed directly our way in the middle of the night.

October 8 - 2001 - Hurricane Iris - Category 4 - direct hit on Monkey River Town / South Placencia Peninsula - quick moving, extensive damage, but "could have been worse".

2002 - nothing of note hit us - sigh. We liked that a lot. AND October was absolutely beautiful weather out here on AC.

Generally speaking - on AC, at least on night in October we get a rain of around 15 inches - that is without it being a "storm" in the classic sense. Boats sink, roads are mucked up, and normally dry parcels of land are temporary frog-ponds.

Are you going to get killed in a storm in October? Highly unlikely. Will you get to see the country easily and without distraction/interruption/rutted muddy roads - also unlikely.

Try November.

Thanks Diane, very informative. I wish we could change our dates, but problem is we own this resort and October and April are our only slow times. I want to get down there as soon as I can.

Thanks again Diane.

Since 2003 is a really strange one for weather everywhere, maybe you will see a glorious October. I sure hope so!

Although Diane is definitely right, we've been going in October for last 5 years...and LOVE IT!!! You're taking a chance anywhere in the carib during that time!! But we go at the end of October!! C

Thanks, October is the only time we can get away from our resort long enough to make it worth while. I take it you enjoy Belize or you wouldn't be going every year.

We hope to really enjoy it also.