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This evening, we also spoke with the National Meteorological Service via phone, and they told us why they're advising the public to keep a very close eye on this weather system:

Dennis Gonguez, Chief Met. Officer
"We should be concerned because if the forecast on track takes the system right into Belize crossing the country on Wednesday night. By tomorrow night, towards Wednesday morning, we should start to see some deterioration in our weather as we said as the system approaches. We have been looking at quite possibly a tropical storm by tomorrow morning."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir what sort of weather conditions should the public expect? Will it be heavy rains? A lot of wind? What should we expect?"

Dennis Gonguez, Chief Met. Officer
"Well we can expect about 4-6 inches of rainfall associated with this system and presently we aren't too sure of the wind forecast at this time, but a rough estimate would be around 50 miles an hour wind. We should feel some conditions on Wednesday."

Daniel Ortiz
"Is there a specific part of the country that this storm is projected to affect the most or is it the entire country?"

Dennis Gonguez, Chief Met. Officer
"Well since it hasn't formed as yet, it's still a tropical wave - the entire coast of Belize is on its radar. We can't say at this point at which part of the coast line so we are looking at our entire coast of its system at this time."

Daniel Ortiz
"So all flood prone areas along the coast of Belize should be very vigilant?"

Dennis Gonguez, Chief Met. Officer
"Right, we should be paying attention to the NEMO advisories as they are issued, because the system is heading in our general direction and it's quite likely it will impact on Wednesday."

All persons, particularly those living on the Cayes and coastal or flood prone areas, as well as fisherfolk and farmers are being advised to monitor this tropical wave and be prepared to take necessary action. NEMO will be making further advisories, and information will be provided to those living on the cayes, who wish to seek shelter on the mainland. Right now, Voluntary relocation to the mainland is an individual choice. Should this system become a Tropical Storm, it will be named "Earl".

The City Emergency Management Organization, CEMO, which is responsible Belize City, is taking no chances with the Krooman Lagoon Area of the City. Today, City Councillor Phillip Willoughby and other NEMO officials went on the London Bridges in this very vulnerable area to impress upon these residents that if a call for evacuation comes, they must respect that advice and evacuate as instructed:

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor, CEMO
"I'm out here this morning basically to start the PR aspect of reaching out to the residents behind this Krooman Lagoon area from within the surround area of the Pelican Extension to simply say 'listen to the advisories as they come out from MET office and NEMO, stay tuned to the radio and TV as these advisories become public and listen to the warnings from them and from us at this city emergency management committees'. again this is pending the upcoming system that is projected to come our way and as a result of that, I am taking this first hand approach to go physically to everyone living behind the Krooman lagoon area there to say 'listen to the warnings, take heed, and when the NEMO advisory comes out to say you can then proceed to go to the shelters, do so'."

Jules Vasquez
"When will you all be opening the shelters?"

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor, CEMO
"As we speak, at this current moment, the city engineer along with Officer Wade, those shelters are being prepared as we speak. As we know, the school break is on, the school has its assets and so forth in the classroom."

Jules Vasquez
"Why do you have a particular concern for this area?"

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor, CEMO
"If you will recall from the 2015 October disaster, that flood event, we had our challenges with this area in particular at that time."

Jules Vasquez
"Because it's impossible to eject people?"

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor, CEMO
"Yes, the residents refused to move at the time."

Jules Vasquez
"Then they become inaccessible during the floods."

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor, CEMO
"That's absolutely correct. Not to say that the rest of the city isn't flood prone or becomes denudated with water but in particular this areas because of the situation. You have wildlife in here of all sorts, you have the pending problem of the electrical wires and then the human resources that are being there that needs to come out. From the last event, we had to send in the BDF and the Coast Guard with their assets, the boats to bring them out here from the back so that they could have been rescued and evacuated."

This afternoon, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital public relations department sent out a press release informing that the Elective and Outpatient Services will be suspended as of tomorrow. This means that there will be no specialist or elective services available, except for C-Sections. KHMH says that this is in preparation for this storm that is fast approaching, and it will allow for the staff to focus on offering the highest level of care at the Accident and Emergency Department, which will remain open. KHMH is asking the general public to access the A&E Department only if absolutely necessary. Regular Services at the hospital will resume as soon as NEMO declares and "All Clear" for this storm.