Tropical Storm Beryl strengthens into hurricane as it approaches the Caribbean

Beryl strengthened into a hurricane Saturday as it moved toward the southeastern Caribbean. Forecasters warn it could become a major and dangerous storm before reaching Barbados late Sunday or early Monday.

As of mid-afternoon Saturday, Beryl was a Category 1 hurricane, marking the farthest east a hurricane has formed in the tropical Atlantic in June, according to Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

A major hurricane is considered Category 3 or greater when winds of at least 178 km/h are recorded.

A hurricane warning was issued for Barbados and a hurricane watch was in effect for Saint Lucia, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

A tropical storm watch has been issued for Martinique, Dominica and the island of Tobago.

Michael Lowry, a Florida-based hurricane expert, posted on social media site X that he is 3 or more]in June, anywhere in the Atlantic, let alone as far east in the deep tropics”,”text”:”amazing to see the forecast for a major hurricane [de catégorie3 ou plus] in June, anywhere in the Atlantic, let alone as far east in the deep tropics”}}”>amazing to see the forecast of a major hurricane [de catégorie 3 ou plus] in June, anywhere in the Atlantic, let alone this far east in the deep tropics. He added that Beryl is hastily organizing herself on the warmest waters on record for the end of June.

The center of Beryl is expected to pass about 45 kilometers south of Barbados, said Sabu Best, director of that island’s weather service. Forecasters then expected the storm to move across the Caribbean toward Jamaica and, possibly, Mexico.

Beryl remembers

As of Saturday evening, Beryl was centered about 1,060 kilometers east-southeast of Barbados, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h. It was moving west at 35 km/h.

Rapid reinforcement is now planneddeclared the American National Hurricane Center, based in Miami.

The warm waters are feeding Beryl with the highest ocean heat content ever recorded for this time of year in the deep Atlantic, according to Brian McNoldy, a tropical meteorology researcher at the University of Miami.

Beryl is also the strongest tropical storm ever recorded in June in this sector of the tropical Atlantic, noted Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

We remain absolutely vigilant and must take every possible precaution for ourselves, our families and our neighborsBarbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address Saturday night, calling for all businesses to close on Sunday night. We don’t want to put anyone’s life in danger.

She said thousands of people were in Barbados for the Cricket World Cup final, which saw India and South Africa face off in the capital of Bridgetown on Saturday.

death”,”text”:”A life or death situation”}}”>A life or death situation

Meanwhile, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said in a public address on Saturday that shelters would open on Sunday evening. He urged people to prepare. He ordered authorities to fill the gas tanks of government vehicles and asked grocery stores and gas stations to stay open later, ahead of the storm.

There will be a rush […] if you limit opening hourshe said, apologizing in advance for government interruptions to radio stations to broadcast storm updates. Cricket fans must accept the fact that we have to give information […]it’s a life or death situation.

Beryl is the second named storm in what is expected to be a busy hurricane season, which runs from May 1^is June to November 30 in the Atlantic. Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Alberto hit northeastern Mexico with heavy rains that left four people dead.

Lowry said only five named storms formed in the tropical Atlantic east of the Caribbean. Of these, only one hurricane formed in the eastern Caribbean in June.

Mark Spence, a hostel manager in Barbados, said in a telephone interview that he was calm about the coming storm.

It’s the season. You can have a storm at any time, he said. I am always ready. I always have enough food at home.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that the 2024 hurricane season will have between 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast calls for up to 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

In an average Atlantic hurricane season, there are typically 14 named storms, including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Up to 15 centimeters of rain is expected to fall on Barbados and neighboring islands. A warning of waves up to four meters high was in effect. A storm surge of up to two meters was also forecast.

The storm is approaching the southeastern Caribbean just days after Trinidad and Tobago reported heavy flooding in its capital, Port of Spain, following another weather event.

Caribbean leaders are worried not only about Beryl but also about a cluster of storms closely tracking its track that have a 70 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression by the middle of next week.

Meanwhile, an unnamed storm in early June dumped more than 50 centimeters of rain on parts of South Florida, leaving many motorists stranded in flooded streets and pushing water toward some homes in the low areas.

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