A powerful cold front continues to affect our weather tonight. Since
Sunday, night time temperatures have been hovering around record lows. In fact
on Monday morning, the record low at 12 stations was broken. Baldy Beacon in
Cayo was the lowest at 44 degrees. That though is still not as cold as the 38
degrees recorded in the 1960’s! But it is colder than it has been in years
– and according to the weather forecasters – it will remain cool.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Belizeans have pulled out their sweaters, warm caps, jackets, and extra layers
of clothing to cope with the cold.
Woman #1,
“This is the worst cold I have ever seen.”
Woman #2,
“The cold is very cold…very very cold.”
Man #1,
“It is very cold for me because I have to wake up soon in the morning
to go to work but I still have to deal with it.”
For some it has been punishing.
Woman #3,
“The cold the treat me bad. I live dah Caye Caulker and Caye Caulker
feels like hell right now. Not hot, cold.”
Woman #4,
“Where I live it feels like ice age….I live dah Hattieville.”
Keith Swift,
“When last you experienced cold like this?”
Woman #4,
“Never.”
And while it is cold, forecaster Francesca Wellington says that Belize has
seen colder days and colder nights.
Francesca Wellington, Forecaster – Belize Met Service
“Overall records have not been broken because the coldest temperature
that we have recorded in the 1960s was 38 degrees Fahrenheit in Punta Gorda
and 39 in the Sibun Hills. But yesterday the 11th of January we had records 
broken in most or several stations with outstanding, that was in La Milpa and
the Baldy Beacon and they recorded 46 Fahrenheit at La Milpa and 44 in Baldy
Beacon. Those were records broken for the month of January and for the day.”
The cold front is as a result of this high pressure system, seen here as this
clouded area, which has basically been sitting over the United States, the Gulf
of Mexico, and the Caribbean since Saturday night. It is now slowly moving east.
Francesca Wellington,
“The high pressure system was extremely strong, 1040 millibars, that
is extremely strong, and we usually associate during this time cold air with
these high pressure systems. Now this high pressure system is encompassing the
entire United States and it is bearing down as far as Central America, encompassing
the Gulf of Mexico, Northwest Caribbean, and as far down as Costa Rica. It has
been moving very slowly eastwardly and that is why this cold air has been lingering
over us. Temperatures will be warming up gradually and we will be experiencing
some light rain and light showers on Thursday.”
But don’t put away those sweaters just yet. Wellington says another cold
front will arrive on Friday.
Francesca Wellington,
“Another cold front will be entering the Gulf of Mexico Friday and
it should be crossing us Saturday. But also I observe that the high pressure
system behind the cold front is not as strong as this one that has just crossed
us. So temperatures overall will remain on the cool side but it won’t
be getting as cold as this previous cold front.”
And more bad news: Wellington says we can expect a repeat of this week’s
frigid temperatures before the cold season ends in April.
Francesca Wellington,
“In the past we have gotten cold fronts like this but what I have
observed over the past couple years is that the temperatures have not been dropping
as low as this present cold front and it is quite possible that for the remainder
of this winter season, we could another blast of cold air as this one. It is
quite possible.”
Keith Swift,
“Do you think that this year we will break the record?”
Francesca Wellington,
“It is quite possible because this winter across the US has been extreme
and just for your information, we are just getting the edge of this cold air.
Can you imagine being in the center of this?”
And that is the absolute worst news for Belize’s most vulnerable like
Rosa Garcia who is paralyzed and homeless.
Rosa Garcia, Paralyzed
“I feel cold yes…a lot of people last night were giving me blanket.”
We found no shortage of suggestions on how to cope with the cold.
Woman #1,
“You have to drink your fever grass tea.”
Woman #2,
“Put on a sweater to keep you warm.”
Woman #5,
“Besides staying inside out of the cold, I have a pan which we light
and keep a fire in it to keep the house warm.”
Francesca Wellington,
“I advise them to stay warm and this will sound strange but drink
a lot of water because a lot of people tend to say I am not thirsty but your
body can still become dehydrated and that causes your lips to become dry, cracked,
and people even get blisters. So I would advise them to drink water, stay warm,
and also use a lot of moisturizers on your skin, especially the older people.”
Click here for the full weather update.
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