Belize Weather and Climate

Geographical location

According to COUNTRYAAH, Belize is a small state in Central America in the southeast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The country borders the Caribbean Sea to the east, Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west.

British Honduras, as Belize was called until its independence from Great Britain until 1981, is the only state in Central America where English is spoken as the official language. Around 353,000 people live on an area of ​​22,966 km², which is roughly the size of the state of Hesse, of which 21,814 live in the capital Belmopan.

Although the second smallest state on the American continent, Belize has a very varied landscape. About 40% of the area is rainforest and off the coast is the second largest coral reef in the world, the Belize Barrier Reef. The Maya Mountains, a mountain range that extends from the interior to Guatemala, forms the watershed between central and southern Belize.

Criss-crossed by rivers, cliffs, romantic waterfalls and mysterious caves, you are in the pristine old Mayan country. Belize is known for its diverse flora and exotic fauna. Huge areas of primeval forest provide the necessary habitat for native animals such as pumas, monkeys or the jaguar, which was already worshiped by the Mayans. Orchid lovers will find over 200 different species.

The capital of Belize, which was called British Honduras until 1981, is Belmopan.

• Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Belize.

Climate in Belize

Despite its small area, there are many different climatic conditions. Due to the different heights of the landscape, the weather is also regionally different. The climate is tropical, with rainy and dry seasons throughout the year, whereas the south of the country is rainier than the north. In the months of June to September the rainy season prevails, but in between the sun often shines and the rain turns into showers.

The annual average temperature is around 26 ° Celsius in the interior and around 22 ° Celsius in the mountains. Due to the Caribbean wind, the high humidity there is easy to bear. The temperature differences between the cooler months of October to April and the hottest months from June to September are rather low. As a result, the water temperature remains relatively constant and you can bathe all year round at an average water temperature of approx. 22 ° Celsius (October to May) and approx. 27 ° / 28 ° Celsius (June to September).

When is the best time to visit Belize?

Ideally, visit Belize between November and May, the driest months. The period from February to April in particular is the best time to visit Belize and attracts the most visitors (especially from the United States). In general, Belize is also easy to travel to during the rainy season, if you can live with minor restrictions.

An interesting phenomenon is the mostly “short dry season” in August, when the rain on Belize often takes a short break. The main travel season for Belize is from the pre-Christmas period in mid- December to around Easter. Hotel prices in the country are also highest during this period and it is advisable to book tours and accommodation in advance.

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine

	Jan	Feb	March	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Daytime temperature	28 ° C	28 ° C	30 ° C	31 ° C	32 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	31 ° C	30 ° C	29 ° C	28 ° C
Night temperature	20 ° C	20 ° C	22 ° C	23 ° C	24 ° C	25 ° C	24 ° C	24 ° C	24 ° C	23 ° C	21 ° C	20 ° C
Water temperature	26 ° C	26 ° C	27 ° C	28 ° C	28 ° C	29 ° C	29 ° C	29 ° C	30 ° C	29 ° C	28 ° C	27 ° C
Precipitation in mm	138	73	59	52	105	258	244	187	287	255	183	176
Rainy days	12	7	5	4	6	14	16	16	16	15	13	12
Hours of sunshine	6	7	8	9	8	7	7	8	6	6	6	6
Sunrise	6:25	6:20	6:00	5:35	5:20	5:20	5:25	5:35	5:40	5:45	6:00	6:15
Sunset	17:40	17:55	18:00	18:10	18:15	18:30	18:30	18:20	17:55	17:30	17:15	17:20

Temperatures

The annual average temperature is 26.3 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is May (28 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 23.6 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 30 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 2013 mm on 136 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of June, July, August, September, October, November and December are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 1587.5 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, April is the sunniest month with an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year, the sun shines an average of 7 hours a day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Sights & attractions

The country is so colorful, so full of diversity and, above all, unique that it is always an intense experience to discover Belize. Even today you can find remains in the Mayan-influenced culture in the form of ancient temples, ruins, caves and ancient cities. Visit the Mayan ruins of Lamanai, Altun Ha, Caracol, and Xunantunic on a boat tour that includes pelicans and crocodiles. You should definitely not miss a visit to Belize City, the largest city in Belize and the economic and tourist center. Colonial buildings such as the town hall bear witness to the city’s history.

Diving enthusiasts should definitely not miss the most famous dive site in the country, the Great Blue Hole. While diving in the turquoise water you will be accompanied by turtles and on the steep slopes you will be surrounded by a colorful world of corals. Various professional tours are offered for animal observation, for example to see howler monkeys in the wild. To be able to marvel at all the animals living in Belize, a visit to the Belize Zoo is recommended.

But if you just want to relax and enjoy the flair of the Caribbean, then visit the small towns of Hopkins and Placencia with their charm far away from tourist hotel complexes.