Updated 1pm 31 October:
“Belmopan, 31st October 2022. 1:00 p.m.
“Effective midday, today 31st October 2022, the Prime Minister of Belize, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), hereby declares a hurricane watch (RED – 1) for the entire coast of Belize. This means that a tropical cyclone threatens the country of Belize and it is likely to make landfall within 36 to 48 hours. One red flag with a black center is to be flown at all signal centers throughout the country.
“The public is advised to put their individual emergency disaster plans into effect, including preparations to voluntarily relocate to safe shelter if necessary. Public and private essential agencies, utility companies and non-essential agencies must immediately implement plans of action, including closure of schools, securing of workstations, the release of workers and the securing of ports of entry. All businesses should implement their disaster plans. NEMO must be prepared to open adequate shelters wherever necessary and to conduct Search and Rescue operations where lives are at risk.”
The government of Belize has released its first advisory on Tropical Storm Lisa and expects it to make landfall in Belize on Wednesday of this week.
“As at 10:30 A.M., MONDAY, 31st OCTOBER 2022 The National Meteorological Service of Belize and the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) hereby inform the public that at 10:00 a.m. (local time), Tropical Storm Lisa was located near latitude 15.5N, longitude 77.3W or about 735 miles East by South of Belize City. Lisa was moving to the west at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1003 mb. Lisa is to continue on a general west to west-north-westward track for the next few days. On this forecast path, the system will move south of Jamaica today, north of the northern coast of Honduras on Tuesday, and then approach the coast of Belize late Wednesday with landfall possible on Belize late on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
“Strengthening is expected and Lisa is expected to be a category 1 hurricane by landfall on the country. This system will bring heavy rainfall to the country starting on Wednesday and continuing through Thursday which will result in flooding across low-lying and flood-prone areas of the country as the ground is already saturated. Daily rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts are likely. Winds of category 1 hurricane strength of 74-95 mph are expected near the landfall location with a storm surge of 3-5 feet to the north of where the centre makes landfall.”
