Tropical storm Beryl, which was located some 1,200 km southeast of the Antilles on Saturday, is expected to strengthen to reach the level of a major hurricane before passing over these islands, the American and French meteorological authorities have warned.
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“Béryl is expected to become a major hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands,” or Lesser Antilles, between Sunday evening and Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said in a bulletin at 6 p.m. (local time) Saturday. , reference for the Atlantic basin.
According to the NHC, “maximum winds are around 100 km/h with stronger upper gusts.” A hurricane watch is in effect for the islands of Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Martinique, Dominica, and the island Tobago.
A major hurricane is equivalent to a Category 3 or higher hurricane, with winds reaching 178 km/h. According to experts, such a phenomenon so early in the hurricane season – which runs from early June to late November in the United States – would be very rare.
As of Friday, the prefect of Martinique put the island’s departmental operational center on standby, the French territory most threatened by the probable trajectory of the storm, his office announced.
Météo France predicts the phenomenon will pass “over the Lesser Antilles, between Tobago for the southernmost island and the south of Martinique for the northernmost island” between next Monday and Tuesday.
“It is already very likely that the sea state will be very rough from Sunday evening, and particularly during the day on Monday,” the French state services in Martinique anticipated.
Waves of 5 meters are expected in the Saint-Lucie channel, to the south of the French island.
Béryl is the second tropical phenomenon named since the beginning of June in the Atlantic basin. The 2024 hurricane season is announced by Météo France as “one of the most intense years” in this area. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also forecast an extraordinary season at the end of May, predicting the possibility of four to seven Category 3 or higher hurricanes.
These forecasts are particularly linked to the expected development of the La Niña weather phenomenon in the near future, as well as to the very high temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, NOAA said.
Global warming is making extreme weather events (such as hurricanes) more frequent and more devastating.
