10 Reasons Why I'm Moving to Belize - #4 Climate

TWO WORDS: SUB TROPICAL

Okay, it's actually one word, but it means "perfection." If you can deal with humidity, bugs and rainy seasons, this climate is IDEAL! The mean temperature in the "cold" months is 74-degrees. There are two seasons--dry and rainy, no winter, summer, spring and fall. And that suits me just fine!

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Trade winds blow onshore most of the year, and from September to December northerly winds bring cooler, drier air." So it's not humid there ALL the time. Onshore breezes, consistently warm, pristine blue-green waters...need I say more??!? SIGN ME UP!!!

This place looks like paradise to me.

I mean every coastal scene I've found online looks like a postcard. I've watched videos--pros and cons of living there--from people who've made the move, and everyone is more enticement for me.

I've already written about nature and the birds, the sea life, the forests of Belize. It's location in the subtropics, it's coffee and it's food...these can all be attributed to the moderate climate of the region. This subtropical climate is not only amenable to birds, iguana and sea life, it's super amenable to humans who love warmth, humidity, sunshine and rain. Some people prefer mountainous terrains, snow, a change of seasons, and that's great. I've lived in those climates, too. I'm just one who likes a more temperate climate with less change and lots of sunshine.

It's proximity to the equator gives it an ideal climate--not far latitudinally from the Caymans or Jamaica, with the same Caribbean vibe. As a beach bum at heart, the climate of Belize and it's beautiful beaches make it my top destination!

Indiana Autumn

With the onset of fall-like weather, I am reminded afresh of why I missed Indiana so. It is more than just the colors that come with the fall foliage. It is the brisk morning air hinting at the change of seasons, the colorful sunsets, hayrides, fall festivals and bonfires.

Yesterday, I enjoyed an exhilarating, solo bike ride at sunset…and what a magnificent sunset it was! In my shorts and t-shirt, I set off for a quick circuit around our neighborhood and enjoyed the cool breeze as I got my heart rate up peddling in 14th gear. When I rounded the next to last corner on my final lap, I saw a brilliantly orange moon peak above the roofline of my neighborhood. It was a picture perfect night.

This morning, on my way to work, I watched the sunrise in the rearview mirror of my truck. A thin ribbon of clouds hanging high over Castleton were turning a Raspberry color in the first light of sun. The air was brisk. I wondered if fall was truly here, considering last week’s 90-degree days.

The landscapers were busy mowing the grass at the dealership. When I took an early walk over to our used car lot, I was met with the most pleasant smell of summer—fresh cut grass. That’s a smell that I won’t get to enjoy in a few more weeks. It will soon be replaced by the smell of wood burning fireplaces and the pungent aroma of dead leaves burning in backyards.

These hints of the new season at-hand are novel to me once again. We usually had a week or two of fall-like weather in Tallahassee. Beyond November, the weather there waffled between winter and fall for a few months, then came the return of blanket-like humidity and scorching heat. I missed Indiana for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was my extended family, but Indiana Autumns are hard to beat

It's Freakin' Cold Here!

You might think that a kid who spent the first 17 years of his life here would know this already...but IT'S FREAKIN' COLD UP HERE!!!

After a week of 70-degree-plus temperatures and one of the mildest Marches on record, this Hoosier kid is stunned by the chill in the air (see temperature map above, courtesy of The Weather Channel). I mean, I remember that there is usually another cold spell around Easter before Springtime weather firmly takes hold in the Heartland, but freezing temps and snow flurries??? SHEESH! C'mon, Mama Nature! How 'bout a little help here?!?!?!

I recently moved my family up from Tallahassee, Florida. I thought we had survived winter, what with a late February blizzard and all, then the sudden 80-degree, record setting days that followed. But this weather is PSYCHOTIC! Call Doctor Phil or something!!!

We used to joke in Tallahassee that if you didn't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes. The speed with which change could occur in the stratosphere above North Florida was amazing, but seldom did we get 40-degree swings in a 12-hour period, only to have it swing 40 degrees the other way soon after. That's what it's been doing here in Indiana.

It begs the question, "What was I thinking?" And I could live with this psycho weather if I knew an end was in sight, but a co-worker just told me in passing that he's seen snow flurries as late as May before. That is very disconcerting.

This is my formal plea to Mr. Jack Frost. Get the heck out of Central Indiana and go back to the poles where you belong!