BERYL – The “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm, Hurricane Beryl, surged across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday night, heading towards the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that the hurricane is expected to bring life-threatening winds and flash flooding on Monday.
Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 season, was located approximately 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Barbados on Sunday night, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph), according to the NHC.
“Beryl is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane as its core moves through the Windward Islands into the eastern Caribbean,” the NHC stated in its latest advisory.
The center of the hurricane is anticipated to cross the Windward Islands on Monday morning as a Category 4 storm, the second-highest level on the five-step scale. This poses a severe threat of catastrophic wind damage to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
It is uncommon for a major hurricane to form this early in the Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30. On Sunday, Beryl became the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record, surpassing Hurricane Dennis, which reached Category 4 status on July 8, 2005, according to NHC data.
Preparations and Warnings
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Tobago. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Dominica, Trinidad, and parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Authorities and residents in the Caribbean islands are preparing for the storm’s impact. In Tobago, shelters have been opened, schools closed for Monday, and elective surgeries in hospitals have been canceled.
The NHC predicts that the hurricane will bring 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) of rain across Barbados and the Windward Islands on Monday, potentially causing flash flooding in vulnerable areas. Additionally, large and dangerous swells are expected to hit the southern coasts of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.
In May, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic for 2024, partly due to near-record warm ocean temperatures.