Management Plan - Glover's Reef Marine Reserve

2.4 Physical Environment of Management Area
2.4.1 Climate
Rainfall
Glovers Reef Marine Reserve – Management Plan
Glover’s Reef Atoll is the most southerly of the three atolls of Belize, and is estimated to receive
approximately the same rainfall as the coastal region adjacent to and including Belize City
(Stoddart, 1962) - between 1524 – 2032mm (60” and 80”) a year (Figure 7; Figure 8). Rainfall
data from Glover’s Reef shows that rainfall averages 1750mm per annum.
700
600
500
mm 400
300
200
100
0
Figure 7: Rainfall belts in Belize
Glover’s Reef
Atoll
Rainfall Isohyets
40 - 60" (1016 - 1524mm)
60 - 80" (1524 - 2032mm)
80 - 100" (2032 - 2540mm)
100 - 120" (2540 - 3048mm)
120 - 140" (3048 - 3556mm)
140 - 160" (3556 - 4064mm)
160 - 180" (4064 - 4572mm)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Figure 8: Rainfall
Rainfall varies throughout the
year, with the highest rainfall
occurring between June and
December, peaking in
November at 594mm, during
the tropical storm season.
The dry season has minimum
rainfall levels of 47mm,
recorded in April.
Carrie Bow Cay, 2002 - 2004
Data Source: Fig. 7: Base Map from BERDS (Biodiversity and Environmental Resource Data System)
Fig. 8: Rainfall Data from Carrie Bow Cay, 2002 - 2004.
There is a pronounced dry season stretching from January through to the end of April, with
minimum monthly rainfall of as low as 47mm in April, the driest month. This is followed by a
wetter season (May to December) with maximum monthly rainfalls in the region of 300 and
600mm, punctuated by a mini dry season in July/August. The majority of the rain falls within the
hurricane season, associated with passing tropical storms (particularly between September and
November; Figure 8.).
Wildtracks / Wildlife Conservation Society, 2007 18