A false warning claiming an extreme, record-breaking heatwave is imminent in Belize has spread rapidly across social media platforms, sparking unnecessary anxiety among local residents already adjusting to the elevated temperatures of the annual dry season. To counter the misinformation, the country’s top meteorological official has stepped forward to correct the record and guide the public toward reliable weather updates.
Ronald Gordon, Belize’s Chief Meteorologist, clarified in an official briefing that while the nation is currently in its annual hot season, official forecast models do not predict extreme heat or record-breaking temperatures over the coming four days. “We are in the typical hot season, however, looking out for the next four days based on our forecast, we are not looking at extreme heat,” Gordon explained. “We are gonna be warm and we expect that, but we are not looking at extreme heat. I know that there was an article published on social media, didn’t come from us, indicating there’ll be a heat wave and extreme heat. We’re not looking at extreme heat and we’re not looking at any record breaking for the next, at least four days.”
Gordon also provided context on Belize’s recent heat trends, recalling that 2024 saw the most extreme recent heat event, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit for multiple consecutive days. While 2025 brought a small number of heatwave events, they were far less severe and frequent than the 2024 heat event, he added.
Looking ahead through the end of April and into early May, Gordon confirmed that long-term climate patterns do indicate heatwaves are likely to occur in the coming weeks. “We do expect that from climatology, that is the average over many years, that going into May, we will get some heatwaves,” he said. “We can say that definitely we will get some, and we cannot say when for sure at the moment, but we will get some heatwaves before the end of this month and into early May.”
The chief meteorologist urged Belizeans to only seek weather information from official national meteorological sources to avoid falling prey to misinformation that can spread quickly through unvetted social media posts. Even though no immediate extreme heat is on the horizon, residents are still encouraged to prepare for gradually warming conditions as the dry season progresses.