Weather: Belize

Cays and coral reefs are one of the main tourist draws here, so the heat and humidity that rule Belize almost year-round aren't necessarily a drawback. The dry season is shorter than usual for Central America. Summer and autumn deliver a downpour about every alternate day, and in winter a few fronts push south from the Gulf of Mexico, bringing damp and coolish weather that can tarry for a day or two. The warm-season rains usually come and go quickly, but expect a fair amount of cloudiness. A canicula often interrupts the rains for a few days in late July or August. The sultriness that pervades Belize is most intense as you move inland from the sea. Rains are heavier as you go south, ranging from over 1000mm/39in in the far north to more than 4000mm/157in along the seaward slopes of the Maya Mountains. Your best bet for sustained sunshine and dryness is from February to early May, with heat and humidity building through that span. The hurricane threat is greatest from August through October.