The sixth named storm and fourth hurricane of the season, Francelia developed from a tropical wave in the southeastern Caribbean Sea on August 29.

Francelia weakened slightly before making landfall near Punta Gorda, Belize (then British Honduras)[nb 1] late on September 3.

During its early stages, Francelia brought gusty winds and light rainfall to several islands in the Caribbean Sea.

While remaining nearly stationary offshore Central America, heavy precipitation fell in some countries, especially Guatemala where severe flooding killed 269 people and caused $15 million in damage.

[nb 2] In neighboring Honduras, the hurricane struck after the undeclared Football War, causing additional damage in the northern portions of the country.

Coastal areas of Belize lost electricity and telephone service, and high winds resulted in extensive damage to banana crops.

The origins of Hurricane Francelia were from a tropical wave – an elongated low pressure area – that exited the western coast of Africa on August 19.

As the system moved through the southern Lesser Antilles, ship and land observations suggested a circulation had developed, signalling the formation of a tropical depression in the extreme southeastern Caribbean Sea early on August 29.

[2] The new tropical cyclone moved quickly west-northwestward away from South America, and on August 30 reconnaissance aircraft recorded winds of 45 mph (72 km/h).

Concurrently, the storm intensified into hurricane status after its winds reached 75 mph (121 km/h), and late on September 1 Francelia passed over Swan Island.

[2] Hurricane Francelia continued west-southwestward toward the northern coast of Central America, strengthening significantly despite its proximity to land.

Francelia weakened slightly as its forward movement slowed, but it remained a hurricane as it approached land, based on confirmation from ship reports.

[2] Late on September 3, the hurricane made landfall with winds estimated at 110 mph (180 km/h), just north of Punta Gorda in southern Belize, then known as British Honduras.

[8] On Swan Island, located about 90 miles (140 km) offshore Honduras, Francelia produced peak winds of 60 mph (97 km/h).

[11] Banana damage totaled $4.7 million,[2] and United Fruit estimated it would take two years to reach production levels before the hurricane.

Undamaged boats were used to transport people and supplies to the islands, utilizing relief goods intended for the recovery after a war earlier in 1969.

Other countries and Red Cross chapters sent money to Guatemala, including 10 tons of medicine from Brazil, 500 blankets from Chile, and 200 bottles of snake bite serum from Costa Rica.