Satellite image of Alma at the weekend

Tropical storm Arthur became the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season, developing off the coast of Mexico at the weekend.

Forming a day before the official start of the season, the weak tropical storm quickly made landfall over the Belize-Mexico border, packing winds of around 40mph (64kph).

By Saturday afternoon, Arthur made landfall in northern Belize on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Over the next 36 hours, it dumped ten inches of rain across Belize causing flooding in low-lying areas, leaving four dead and three people missing.

The rest of the Caribbean could only watch as Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, and part of the Caribbean Community group, signalled what they could have to look forward to in the 2008 season.

Expert views

The experts are divided over the impact climate change will have on future hurricane seasons.

	Agriculture can be set back by months or longer by an intense hurricane

Will climate change cause more global warming and cause more intense hurricane seasons?

Climate change hurricane link

A team of American researchers suggested in May that hurricanes and tropical storms will become less frequent by the end of the century as a result of climate change.

Less hurricanes in the future

Predictions

The main 2008 hurricane season outlook from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC), is in collaboration with scientists from the NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) and Hurricane Research Division (HRD).

This outlook makes it clear that the scientists do not provide the public with a general guide to the expected overall nature of the upcoming hurricane season.

"It is not a seasonal hurricane landfall forecast", says the NOAA.

However, the CPC’s 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook calls a 90% probability of a near-normal or above-normal hurricane season.

The Centre also says there's a 65% chance of a "most likely" above-normal season and also a 25% chance of a near-normal season.

The prediction for a below-normal season is and 10 %.

2008 Hurricane names Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Ike Josephine Kyle Laura Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred

Belize bounce back?

So how soon before Belize can bounce back after being so badly hit by the first storm of the 2008 season?

Four people died and three are reported missing after storms Alma and Arthur dumped rain particularly on southern Belize.

Major infrastructural damage has been caused to bridges, agriculture, and tourism in these areas.

George Lovell talks to Ken Richards about damage in Belize

Prime Minister Dean Barrow had declared the affected communities a disaster area.

Chief executive Officer for Belize's National Emergency George Lovell said that hundreds of people have been moved into alternative accomodation.

"We are expecting that, within a week or so, we should be able to get teams in there to do some reconstruction," Lovell told BBC Caribbean on Tuesday night.

Lovell added: "The economic damage that we will have as so far as putting back the roads to get the oil industry, the tourism industry, and all the other industries in place will be a little more long term."

He predicts getting back to normal by year-end.

As help by helicopter came from neighbouring Mexico, the wider region could only brace itself for the next six months of whatever Mother Nature will bring.