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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Belize in January

Belize in January: 69% of days see measurable rain, 80°F average high, 14% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Belize in January is historically a poor month for sun: only 14% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 80°F). March is the clearest month for Belize historically. Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Belize page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late January

Clear-sky percentage for Belize in January, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early January
1st–15th		 12% n=120 80°F
Late January
16th–end		 16% n=128 80°F
Full month average 14% n=248 80°F

Sunshine & warmth in January

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Belize in January. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early January
1st–15th		 97% n=120
Late January
16th–end		 90% n=128
Full month average 93% n=248
10.4 h median sunshine per day 87% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 69% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 14%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 93%. The 79-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Belize is a poor choice for sun in January: just 14% of days clear historically (n=248). March is the historically strongest month for sun here. The 8-year record is consistent — this is not a fluke bad stretch.

→ See all destinations in March — historically the best month for sun in Belize.

Every month in Belize

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Belize, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January ← this page 14% n=248 All destinations →
February 14% n=226 All destinations →
March 18% n=248 All destinations →
April 18% n=240 All destinations →
May 9% n=248 All destinations →
June 4% n=240 All destinations →
July 2% n=248 All destinations →
August 0% n=248 All destinations →
September 0% n=240 All destinations →
October 5% n=248 All destinations →
November 7% n=240 All destinations →
December 10% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Belize in January?

Yes, frequently. In Belize, 69% of days in January see measurable rain, based on 8 years of ERA5 historical data (n=248 days, 2018–2025). This is a historical average, not a forecast.

Is Belize good for sun in January?

Not usually. Belize is historically overcast in January: only 14% of days are clear (avg high 80°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025). March is historically far better for sun here.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.