The Gulf of Honduras
19
tures at Gladden Spit vary from 27 to 31 oc and surface water salinities
remain high (36-37) during the entire year, but at the end of the wet season
or after a hurricane they may drop to 32. Inside the enclosed Amatique Bay,
surface water salinities are 8-19 in December and even lower during the
wet season (Reyes and Villagran 1999). Northeasterly to easterly trade
winds blow persistently at 3-8m s- 1 from December to May, giving rise to
both seas and swells, 1-3m high and with periods from 3 to 7 s. The wet
season from July to October is characterized by spectacular thunderstorms
with intense, gusty winds from varying directions, alternating with
periods of calm. The tail end of North American frontal systems regularly
sweeps across the Gulf of Honduras from November to April, giving rise to
intense blows with winds from the north or northwest for 1-3 days.
Tropical storms and hurricanes regularly cross the Gulf of Honduras between August and October and have seriously impacted both Belize and
Honduras, but generally have less impact on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala (Fig. 1.2). The frequency of tropical storms affecting the Gulf of Honduras is less than 20 storms per century in Bahia de Amatique but the incidence increases to 60 storms per century at the northeastern limit of the
Gulf of Honduras (Gentry 1971). During the past 40 years, nine storms, in
particular, have impacted the Gulf (Neumann et al. 1993). Two category 5
hurricanes, Hattie in October 1961 and Mitch in October 1998, were particularly destructive. Both originated in the western Caribbean north of
Panama, initially traveled north, turned sharply east, and finally veered
south. Hurricane Abby (July 1960), Hurricane Fifi (September 1974), and
Hurricane Greta (September 1978) traveled on a track from east towards
west and slammed into Belize. Hurricane Francelia (September 1969), Tropical Storm Laura (November 1971), and Tropical Storm Kyle (October
1996) traveled on a very different track, towards the west or southwest,
making landfall in Bahia de Amatique. While traversing the Gulf of Honduras from western Honduras on a track towards Belize City, Tropical Storm
Gert impacted the Gulf in September 1993. Waves on the Belize barrier reef
were hind cast to have had a significant wave height of 10.0 m and a period of
12.7 s preceding the arrival of Hurricane Greta (Kjerfve and Dinnel1983 ).
The water circulation in the inner Gulf is dominated by cyclonic, counterclockwise rotating circulation gyres. These gyres are generated south of
the Caribbean current as it flows from east to west and crosses the shallow
banks between Honduras and Jamaica. These cyclonic gyres, characterized
by a central water level depression of 20-30 em, progress westward along
the coast of Honduras towards the Belize barrier reef. A new cyclonic gyre
is generated every few months and requires 2-3 months to reach the
Belize barrier reef. Long-term current measurements along the shelf edge
in the Gulf just north of Gladden Spit indicate a persistent reef-parallel
19
tures at Gladden Spit vary from 27 to 31 oc and surface water salinities
remain high (36-37) during the entire year, but at the end of the wet season
or after a hurricane they may drop to 32. Inside the enclosed Amatique Bay,
surface water salinities are 8-19 in December and even lower during the
wet season (Reyes and Villagran 1999). Northeasterly to easterly trade
winds blow persistently at 3-8m s- 1 from December to May, giving rise to
both seas and swells, 1-3m high and with periods from 3 to 7 s. The wet
season from July to October is characterized by spectacular thunderstorms
with intense, gusty winds from varying directions, alternating with
periods of calm. The tail end of North American frontal systems regularly
sweeps across the Gulf of Honduras from November to April, giving rise to
intense blows with winds from the north or northwest for 1-3 days.
Tropical storms and hurricanes regularly cross the Gulf of Honduras between August and October and have seriously impacted both Belize and
Honduras, but generally have less impact on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala (Fig. 1.2). The frequency of tropical storms affecting the Gulf of Honduras is less than 20 storms per century in Bahia de Amatique but the incidence increases to 60 storms per century at the northeastern limit of the
Gulf of Honduras (Gentry 1971). During the past 40 years, nine storms, in
particular, have impacted the Gulf (Neumann et al. 1993). Two category 5
hurricanes, Hattie in October 1961 and Mitch in October 1998, were particularly destructive. Both originated in the western Caribbean north of
Panama, initially traveled north, turned sharply east, and finally veered
south. Hurricane Abby (July 1960), Hurricane Fifi (September 1974), and
Hurricane Greta (September 1978) traveled on a track from east towards
west and slammed into Belize. Hurricane Francelia (September 1969), Tropical Storm Laura (November 1971), and Tropical Storm Kyle (October
1996) traveled on a very different track, towards the west or southwest,
making landfall in Bahia de Amatique. While traversing the Gulf of Honduras from western Honduras on a track towards Belize City, Tropical Storm
Gert impacted the Gulf in September 1993. Waves on the Belize barrier reef
were hind cast to have had a significant wave height of 10.0 m and a period of
12.7 s preceding the arrival of Hurricane Greta (Kjerfve and Dinnel1983 ).
The water circulation in the inner Gulf is dominated by cyclonic, counterclockwise rotating circulation gyres. These gyres are generated south of
the Caribbean current as it flows from east to west and crosses the shallow
banks between Honduras and Jamaica. These cyclonic gyres, characterized
by a central water level depression of 20-30 em, progress westward along
the coast of Honduras towards the Belize barrier reef. A new cyclonic gyre
is generated every few months and requires 2-3 months to reach the
Belize barrier reef. Long-term current measurements along the shelf edge
in the Gulf just north of Gladden Spit indicate a persistent reef-parallel