From Belmopan...
Caribbean winds are turning into serious cloud with rain as they cross over the coast.
Monthly Weather Summary, March 2015
National Meteorological Service of Belize
March 2015 was not as dry as dry as normal, and only one dissipating cold front reached Belize and stalled. The first two days of the month saw a few showers over some areas during the mornings, as a ridge to the north along 29/30N supported a moderate to fresh east-northeasterly surface flow, along with a weakly convergent upper pattern and northwest upper winds. Showers became isolated on Tuesday 3rd as moisture decreased, and the next two days were mostly sunny and dry. The surface flow veered a bit to the east and east-southeast and was gusty on the 4th. The upper pattern continued weakly convergent.
The presence of a cold front over the eastern Bay of Campeche and the associated ridging over southern Mexico on Friday 6th caused a backing of the surface flow to the east-northeast and a slight increase in moisture. The front dissipated on the 7th and a few showers developed mainly over northern portions of the country from the 6th to the 8th. Early morning fog was reported over some central low lying areas on the 8th, as the gradient slackened over our area. On Monday 9th, a low level wind surge moving in from the east resulted in some showery weather over central areas of the country. A total of 21.5mm of rain fell at the PGIA and 22.9 in Belize City. A gusty east-southeasterly surface and low level flow prevailed on the next two days then dropped off a bit on Thursday 12th. Showers were isolated over those three days (10th-12th).
On Friday 13th, a few showers developed mainly over central and northern areas as moisture and low level convergence increased moderately when cold front stalled from near New Orleans to the central Yucatan Peninsula along 90W. An upper trof to the west along 100w and a ridge over the Caribbean Sea resulted in a weakly divergent upper pattern over our area. Savannah recorded 16.8mm of rainfall; while Belmopan recorded 47.3mm. The portion of the front over the Yucatan Peninsula dissipated the next day, however a few showers continued over some areas from the 14th through the 18th as the surface flow varied between east and east-northeast. The moisture was generally low, but fluctuated sufficiently along with low level convergence to support the showers. The upper pattern continued weakly divergent through the 16th, then became weakly convergent on the 17th and 18th.
Showers became generally isolated on Thursday 19th, however Punta Gorda received 14.7mm of rain. A single isolated thunderstorm developed over the Vaca Plateau during the afternoon of Friday 20th. Mainly fair and dry weather prevailed from the 21st to 26th, with slightly warmer temperatures from the 24th to the 26th. The surface airflow was relatively dry and mainly from the east-southeast during that seven day period, with a neutral to weakly divergent upper pattern.
Friday 27th was sunny in the morning, then some showers and thunderstorms affected most areas during the evening and night as a pre frontal trof crossed the country. Pomona measured the most rainfall with 33.2mm; while Belmopan had 24.5mm and Punta Gorda got 20.5. The next day was cloudy over the west and south with some showers over the west and south, and over the northern Cayes later. Savannah reported rainfall totalling 68.7mm. The associated cold front weakened and the diffuse tail end drifted south over northern Belize during the afternoon of Saturday 28th then to central Belize the next day Sunday 29th. Some showers occurred over some parts of the coast in the morning then over most areas in the afternoon and evening, especially the Belize City area. Rainfall of 20.4mm was measured at the PGIA; while Belize City recorded 69.8mm and the Belize Zoo 67.9mm. The portion of the front over and just east of Belize dissipated altogether on Monday 30th and the last two days of the month saw decreasing shower activity, with a few showers mainly over the south on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st. Most stations recorded some rainfall, with amounts ranging from 5-15mm.