However, the Rio Dulce area suffers little from this problem because there are no roads . The hurricane season is considered to run from late summer through autumn. Most hurricanes occur in the eastern Caribbean and have no effect on Guatemala but an occasional hurricane will find its way to the western Caribbean and the coasts of Guatemala and Belize. Once in a while there will be a big hurricane and when this happens, coastal cities are in grave danger. In 1970, Hurricane Hattie virtually destroyed Belize City on the coast of Belize and washed it into the sea.
Coastal locations are in the greatest danger from hurricanes.
However, the marinas and anchorages along the Rio Dulce are not on the coast but are miles inland. The Rio Dulce is about the safest place one could possibly be during a hurricane. Many miles of twisting river protects the Rio Dulce from the hurricane's storm surge and the hills to either side of the river and tall trees along the shores break the force of the wind. Properly anchored, a boat on the Rio Dulce is as safe as it can be during a hurricane. While the river is safe, it is not advisable to venture out on El Golfete or Lake Izabal during a storm with high winds.