T-minus 4 days! Weather?

[cmneus]

Hi, I leave for Roatan on Wednesday and have been checking the forecast but can only see 10 days ahead...from Thursday to Sunday it is showing rain and thunderstorms. I chose to go in May because it is supposed to be very dry this time of year. The lady who owns the place I am staying and diving (Chillies, Native Sons) says not to pay attention to the weather forecast because it's always wrong...is anyone there now who can tell me the forecast looks better than what is being shown here in the States?????
I don't mind a little rain...obviously I'll be getting wet anyway...but lightening?

 

[RTBDiver]

is anyone there now who can tell me the forecast looks better than what is being shown here in the States?????

You should just listen to Mish , the mainstream US based reports show chance or rain and thunderstorms almost all year long. It has been hot and clear, Very occasional rain, cant really consider it a storm. The more normal afternoon type storms usualy start up in August

 

[aesullivan]

While I'm glad to see that weather forecasts for Roatan are now a bit more detailed than the standard "30% chance of rain" they usually show, still they do get it wrong a lot. I wouldn't worry too much about it. (Disclaimer: I work at Native Sons - I look forward to meeting you). Diving in and near West End has been awesome this week, and usually is - normal wind patterns from the East mean mostly calm seas on our side. If the wind comes from the West and if it makes the seas rough, we dive the other side, which just involves shuttling divers about 10 minutes over there. Can't remember when I've seen much lightning here this time of year, and I'm not worried about it now.

 

[cmneus]

Thanks for putting me at ease!

You should just listen to Mish , the mainstream US based reports show chance or rain and thunderstorms almost all year long. It has been hot and clear, Very occasional rain, cant really consider it a storm. The more normal afternoon type storms usualy start up in August

---------- Post added May 10th, 2014 at 09:45 AM ----------

Thanks for putting me at ease....I've had this trip planned for quite awhile and am just hoping it lives up to it's expectations....I'm sure it will. That weather forecast was a little unsettling..I won't look at it any longer!!!!!!! Look forward to meeting you too!

While I'm glad to see that weather forecasts for Roatan are now a bit more detailed than the standard "30% chance of rain" they usually show, still they do get it wrong a lot. I wouldn't worry too much about it. (Disclaimer: I work at Native Sons - I look forward to meeting you). Diving in and near West End has been awesome this week, and usually is - normal wind patterns from the East mean mostly calm seas on our side. If the wind comes from the West and if it makes the seas rough, we dive the other side, which just involves shuttling divers about 10 minutes over there. Can't remember when I've seen much lightning here this time of year, and I'm not worried about it now.

 

[KevinG58]

I've been to Roatan several times now and in my experience you are going in weather prime time. There may be an occasional rain shower but they pass quickly and the only affect on viz, is the very temporary reduction of sunlight :cool2:

 

[pink_fins]

I am here now at CCV. It's pretty windy but it should clear up by Wed according to the guys here.no rain

 

[RTBDiver]

I am here now at CCV. It's pretty windy but it should clear up by Wed according to the guys here.no rain

And CCV is on the windward side of the Island so it is normal for it to be a lot windier
than West End where the OP is staying

 

[mikeynl]

Can't say anything about the region specifically, but when I went to Bali in April to do my DM internship, the weather forecasts were all about thunderstorms. Well, in the 6 weeks I was there I had just one dive int he rain ... and that was an instruction dive in the pool. Yes, we had thunderstorms, but they were all in the evening, and if there was rain it was very briefly, and usually quite refreshing. Most of the day would be relentlessly hot and sunny though. Thunderstorm forecasts in the tropics don;t usually mean "bad weather".

 

[RTBDiver]

Not at all relevant, unless of course replying to someone on the Bali forum. This along with the fact the one asking about this has already been to and returned from their trip

 

[cmneus]

Well, it turns out that the forecast was sort of accurate. The day I arrived was beautiful but the entire week after that was cloudy, rainy here and there and just not what you wish for when on a tropical holiday! Diving was even cancelled one day (I was assured that wouldn't happen which goes to show how bad the weather was that day!). My last three days there were beautiful....I was told that I just happened to arrive during the only week of iffy weather in months, I didn't even get a little tan! I had a feeling in my gut and I guess I was right. I did make the most of it and had an amazing time....I was underwater most of the time anyway, I was just hoping for some bright tropical sunshine after the extremely brutal Wisconsin winter we endured this year!