Hurricane Season in Belize: Storm Odds by Month
Quick answer: Belize’s hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. In the last 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Ambergris Caye or Placencia in 18 of 50 seasons; August (8 of 50 seasons), September (6 of 50 seasons) and October (7 of 50 seasons) are the busy months, and November still had 2 of 50 seasons.
Pick where you are going and when. See in how many of the last 50 hurricane seasons a tropical storm or hurricane came within 100 miles on those dates, and which nearby weeks were calmer.
Key West · Sep 10–16
2 of 50 seasonsA tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Key West on these dates in 2 of the 50 seasons 1976–2025: 4%.
- Within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 50 miles
- 1 of 50
- A hurricane within 100 miles
- 1 of 50
- Safest dates within 4 weeks: Oct 1–7 (0 of 50 seasons), 3 weeks later.
- Storms on these dates: Sally 2020, Irma 2017.
- In 1976–2025, storms came within 100 miles of Key West between Jul 6 and Nov 19.
Historical frequency from NOAA’s best tracks for 1976–2025, not a forecast. For storms this season, see the National Hurricane Center.
The tool above opens on Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) for September 10–16: change the dates to yours, or pick Placencia. Below, Belize’s whole record, 1976–2025.
Place by place
| Place | Storm within 100 mi | Hurricane within 50 mi | Busiest week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) | 18 of 50 seasons | 4 of 50 seasons | Aug 20–26 (4) |
| Placencia | 13 of 50 seasons | 4 of 50 seasons | Sep 17–23 (3) |
Hurricane season in Belize, month by month
In how many of the 50 seasons a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of each place at some point in that month.
| Month | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) | Placencia | Any of them |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| June | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| August | 8 | 2 | 8 |
| September | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| October | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| November | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Iris (2001) passed within 50 miles of Placencia as a hurricane in October, and Lisa (2022) did the same at Ambergris Caye in November. Arthur (2008) came on May 31, before the season had begun.
The busiest week
Ambergris Caye (San Pedro): Aug 20–26, when a storm came within 100 miles in 4 of 50 seasons. Placencia: Sep 17–23, when a storm came within 100 miles in 3 of 50 seasons. The chart in the tool shows all 52 weeks.
Every storm within 100 miles since 1976 (25)
| Storm | Within 100 miles | Closest | Near |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nadine (2024) | Oct 19 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Sara (2024) | Nov 16–17 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Lisa (2022) | Nov 2–3 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Nana (2020) | Sep 3 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Michael (2018) | Oct 7 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Franklin (2017) | Aug 8 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Earl (2016) | Aug 4 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Ernesto (2012) | Aug 7–8 | a hurricane within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Harvey (2011) | Aug 20–21 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Rina (2011) | Oct 27 | a hurricane within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Alex (2010) | Jun 26–27 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Karl (2010) | Sep 15 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Matthew (2010) | Sep 25 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Placencia |
| Richard (2010) | Oct 24–25 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Arthur (2008) | May 31 – Jun 1 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Dean (2007) | Aug 21 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Chantal (2001) | Aug 20–21 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Iris (2001) | Oct 8–9 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Placencia |
| Keith (2000) | Sep 30 – Oct 3 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Dolly (1996) | Aug 20–21 | a hurricane within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Kyle (1996) | Oct 11–12 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Gert (1993) | Sep 17–18 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Diana (1990) | Aug 5 | a tropical storm within 100 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) |
| Hermine (1980) | Sep 22 | a tropical storm within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
| Greta (1978) | Sep 18–19 | a hurricane within 50 miles | Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Placencia |
When the season runs
Belize is in the Atlantic basin, whose hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (source). The season is when storms are likely, not the only time they can form: the table above counts every storm, whenever it came.
Plan it
- Is Belize worth a trip?
- Is there anything to do in Belize?
- Hurricane risk for your exact dates in Ambergris Caye (San Pedro)
- Ambergris Caye (San Pedro)’s weather, month by month
FAQ
When is hurricane season in Belize?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10. In 50 seasons (1976–2025), the storms that came within 100 miles of Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) or Placencia did so between May 31 and November 17, most often in August.
Does Belize get hurricanes?
Yes. In 50 seasons, a tropical storm or hurricane passed within 100 miles of Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) or Placencia in 18, and a hurricane came within 50 miles in 8: Lisa (2022), Nana (2020), Earl (2016), Richard (2010) and 4 more.
What is the worst month for hurricanes in Belize?
August: a storm came within 100 miles in 8 of the 50 seasons, then October with 7.
What is the safest time to visit Belize in hurricane season?
Within the season, July: no storm came within 100 miles in any of the 50 seasons. Outside June 1 to November 30, storms were rarer still.
How these numbers are made
From NOAA’s best tracks (HURDAT2), every storm’s centre is followed hour by hour and measured against each place; a season counts once it had a tropical storm or hurricane within 100 miles (or 50) on at least one day. It is history, not a forecast: for a storm that exists today, read the National Hurricane Center.