The country of Belize, located in the northern part of Central America, is shaped roughly like a triangle and is about the size of the state of Massachusetts. For people who are not familiar with this part of the world, Belize is nestled between the borders of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, two departments of Guatemala, namely Petén and Izabal, and the Caribbean Sea. The country itself totals 22,960 square kilometers, although the northern interior of the country and the coastline are filled with exotic lagoons which reduce the total land mass.

The country’s location provides it with a subtropical climate that benefits from the prevailing wind coming off of the Caribbean Sea. The brisk wind keeps the temperature in Belize around 79 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. The humidity for the most part is kept under control from the sea breezes, making it comfortable enough for summer clothing all year long.

Of course, the climate in Belize is affected by the country’s natural landscape. While the median temperature is 79, it can climb up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. It is unusual for the temperature to rise or fall above or below these averages, although the elevation, flora and fauna, and the geological makeup of the area you are in can affect the temperature at any given time. For those visitors to Belize who enjoy swimming in the ocean, the temperature of the saltwater in the Caribbean Sea usually ranges between 75 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit, providing the perfect water temperature for snorkeling, swimming, and scuba diving. The temperatures in the higher elevations of Belize such as the highland plateau in the southern part of the country tend to be cooler than those in the lower-lying inland areas.

Belize enjoys an annual rainfall of 50 inches to the north of the country, while the south sees more at 170 inches. Normally, the rainy season occurs from June to August, with the dry season from February to May, but changes in the global weather pattern make it harder to predict. By October, the weather has cooled, and between November and February the average humidity is around 85% with scattered rain showers.

The country has been known to be affected by hurricanes off the Caribbean Sea that tend to be very violent storms. Between 1931 and 1978 many cities and towns,including Belize City, were leveled by hurricanes that have included storm tides over four meters high and winds over 300 kilometers per hour. When Belize City was destroyed by a hurricane for the second time in 30 years, the government moved the country’s capital to Belmopan, located 80 kilometers further inland.