Week 1 – 01 – 04 June 2017
Features June 04, 1934 Unnamed Tropical Depression
The record (1842 -2016) at the Hurricane Center in Florida indicates that during the period 04 -10 June, one Tropical Storm impacted Belize and its coastal waters and dissipated in Newfoundland as an Extra Topical Storm. This storm has a remarkable history, its path had two loops, once in Belizean and Guatemalan territory and the other in the Gulf of Mexico. It entered and exited the Belizean territory twice, entered and exited Guatemala thrice. Thrice it was a Tropical Depression, twice it was a Tropical Storm and twice it was a Category 1 Hurricane.
Storm Highlights
The Unnamed Tropical Depression formed on June 04, 1934 and within six hours strengthened to a Tropical Storm and 18 hours after hit Glovers Reef, then crossed the barrier reef south of Carrie Bow Caye. Four and a half hours later it crossed the Belizean coastline just north of the South Stann Creek and 4 hours after entered Guatemala, then Mexico and back into Guatemala. It was downgraded to a Tropical Depression then upgraded to Tropical Storm before entering the Pacific Ocean on June 07. The storm reentered Guatemalan mainland, crossed Lago Izabal and reentered Belizean coastal waters just south of the Sarstoon Island around 9 p.m. on the 7th June. The storm stayed offshore passing Punta Gorda and Placencia and then crossing the barrier reef just north of Carrie Bow Caye. It continued to travel between Lighthouse Reef and the Turneffe Atoll and then passed east of Chinchorro Reef offshore Mexico and re-entered Mexico near Pajaros as a Category 1 Hurricane then entered the Gulf and re-strengthening as a Category 1 and then a Category 2 Hurricane before hitting the State of Louisiana on June 16th.
This week’s Hurricane Tips
1. Take a picture and written inventory of all household assets and assign a value to them.
2. Take picture and written inventory of your jewelry.
3. Locate your insurance policies, bank and travel documents.
4. Secure your inventory, jewelry, and documents in a water tight container.
a. Note zip lock bags failed during last year’s Hurricane Earl.
Week 2 – 11 – 17 June 2017
Features: June 11 – 17, 3 Tropical Cyclones
The record (1842 -2016) at the Hurricane Center in Florida indicates that during the period 11 – 17 June, three storms impacted Belize and its coastal waters; one formed on 12th June and two on June 16th. The Tropical Depressions formed on June 12th 1939 (Unnamed) and June 16th 2013 (TD Barry). The single Tropical Storm for this period formed on June 16th 1921. It is noteworthy that all storms that impacted Belize and its coastal waters in June formed in the western Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Honduras.
Highlights
In 1921, on June 16th, an Unnamed Tropical Depression formed in the Caribbean Sea, east of Swan Island, Islas Santanillas Honduras. Twenty-four hours later it strengthened to a Tropical Storm, skirting the Bay Islands, entered Belize’s coastal waters passing near northern Lighthouse Reef and northern Turneffe Atoll. About 2:00 p.m. on June 17th the Tropical Storm passed directly over San Pedro Town. It crossed the Belizean mainland near Bulkhead Lagoons and continued on its overland journey between Benque Viejo and Buena Vista Villages and passing directly over Santa Clara Village before entering Mexico. Just after midnight June 18th it entered the Gulf of Mexico near Seybaplaya and later became a Category 1 Hurricane and made landfall just west of Houston Texas. The cyclone dissipated on 26th June in Missouri as a Tropical Depression.
The June 12th, 1939 Unnamed Tropical Depression formed near northern Turneffe Islands around midnight and within 6 hours strengthened to a Tropical Storm near Chinchorro Reef offshore the Yucatan Peninsula. It entered the Gulf of Mexico having passed through the Yucatan Channel and impacted the Alabama Coast around 1:00 pm on June 16th and dissipated in Ohio as an Extra Tropical Storm on June 18th. This Depression had little to no impact on Belize.
The 2013 Tropical Depression Barry also formed on June 16th near San Andres Islands off the Nicaraguan Coast. It crossed the northern tips of the Nicaraguan and Honduran mainland, passing south of the Bay 2013 TD Barry 1921 TS Unnamed 1939 TD Unnamed and entered Belizean coastal waters around midday on June 17th . Barry crossed the Barrier Reef near Silk Cayes and the Belizean mainland just south of Placencia and Independence Villages and on the boundary of the Stann Creek and Toledo Districts at 4:00pm on June 17th. Barry crossed the Maya Mountains and entered Guatemala, then Mexico, and exited into the Gulf of Mexico near Ciudad del Carmen. Barry strengthened to a Tropical Storm and reentered Mexican mainland near La Mancha. Barry dissipated in Mexico on June 21st.
This week’s
Hurricane Tips
1. Review and revise your Hurricane Plan.
2. Do not rely on a single refuge location.
• That designated location may be directly in the path of the cyclone
3. Belize’s Weather Authority is the National Meteorological Service
• Do not listen to rumors during an emergency event.
4. Buy extra canned food during your regular grocery shopping a. Stocking up for an emergency will ensure that food is available during the passage of a cyclone.
5. Check your Hurricane Shutters
• Make sure they are in good and working conditions.
Stay tuned for Week 3 Hurricane Facts & Tips
