There is heavy Caribbean cloud cover over most of Belize right now and much of the night and also significant high level cloud cover from the Pacific SW winds. . . . So tonight should be a relatively warm night. . . . Probably brighter weather coming in tomorrow morning or by midday. . . . Could be some rain tonight in any part of Belize.
Monthly Weather Summary, December 2014
National Meteorological Service of Belize
Climatology shows that the main features influencing weather across the country of Belize in December are cold fronts, upper level troughs and the development of moist northeasterly airflows in the area. There were two frontal passages in December of 2014. Additionally, a few fronts stalled just north of the country resulting in persistent moist conditions over the area. The upper levels were mostly dry during the month.
The first day of December 2014 started out cloudy with showers and rain affecting most areas of the country as a moist northeasterly airflow dominated. The following day the flow became more northerly and slightly drier as a continental ridge west of the area dominated. The ridge continued to support a cool northerly to north-northeasterly airflow for the following four days. This supported generally cloudy skies across the country but showers were confined mostly to the south.
A cold front entered the northwest Gulf of Mexico later on the 6th and slowly began to make its way southeastward. The ridge associated with this front started to influence the flow over Belize on the 7th. The result was mostly sunny and dry conditions on that day. However by the 8th the cold front had advanced far enough south to produce a moist and convergent North to Northwesterly flow over Belize. This produced cloudy conditions with showers affecting mainly the south and offshore areas. Similar conditions occurred on the 9th. The slow moving cold front then crossed the country on the night of the 9th. It did not move very far out of the area causing weather over Belize to remain cloudy and wet for the following 5 days until the 14th. Additionally, strong high pressure ridge from the west combined with relatively low pressures over the Gulf of Honduras produced a gusty north to northeasterly airflow over the area during that time. This resulted in rough sea conditions and the cancellations of several cruise ships during that week.
Moisture decreased considerably on the 15th and this pattern continued through to the 18th. The result was mainly fair and dry weather across the country.
Weather would change again on the 19th when a trof of low pressure begun approaching the country from the east. This slow moving trof produced cloudy skies with light showers and periods of rain on the 19th and 20th.
By the 21st the trof axis was west of the area and this factor coupled with frontal lows developing in the northwest Gulf of Mexico, contributed to a relatively dry east to southeasterly airflow over Belize from the 21st through to the 24th. During that time a cold front was slowly making its way toward Belize. This was the second cold front to cross the country which happened early on Christmas day (before daybreak). Moisture increase associated with this front was not enough to produce significant rainfall over Belize. Moreover, upper level conditions were not supportive of deep convective activity. The result was mostly cloudy and cool conditions on Christmas day with showers and light rain confined mostly to the south and offshore areas.
Weather conditions cleared late on the 26th but became cloudy once more on the 27th. Clouds and rain decreased once more on the 28th, and the 29th was partly cloudy with only isolated showers.
On the last two days of the month, a cold front became stationary from Florida to the Bay of Campeche. This system along with broad trofing which developed over the Western Caribbean helped to support a relatively moist East to Northeasterly airflow over Belize on the 30th and the 31st. This caused skies to be cloudy at times with occasional showers affecting the country.
Overall rainfall for December 2014 was normal for most stations in the south and central areas of the country while stations in the north recorded above normal rainfall.