On Monday, July 1st, Hurricane Beryl rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm after approaching the Windward Islands, prompting urgent preparations across the region.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Beryl poses a life-threatening threat to the islands, with storm surges and destructive winds expected. Beryl hit Carriacou Island, one of Grenada’s islands, Monday night with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, moving west at 21 mph.
Hurricane warnings were in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago and the current path Hurricane Beryl is on has it heading towards Jamaica. Tropical storm warnings and watches extend to Martinique and Dominica. The NHC emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that Beryl is expected to bring significant storm surges and dangerous winds to the affected areas. On Tuesday, July 2nd, a hurricane watch was issued for the Cayman Islands.
The rapid intensification of Beryl, which saw it strengthen from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just 42 hours, marks it as a historic storm. According to hurricane expert Sam Lillo, this is a rare occurrence, achieved only six times in Atlantic hurricane history. Beryl was the third Category 3 hurricane ever recorded in June in the Atlantic, following Audrey in 1957 and Alma in 1966. On Monday, Beryl became the first Category 4 hurricane to form at the beginning of hurricane season in June, beating out the previous record of the earliest Category 4 hurricane that was held by Hurricane Dennis since July 8th, 2005.
Residents in the affected areas are rushing to prepare. In Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley urged citizens to be ready, highlighting the importance of planning for the worst. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves also advised residents to prepare. In other Caribbean countries, similar preparations are underway, with government officials urging people to ensure they have disaster supplies and know their emergency shelters.
The early formation of such a powerful hurricane is unusual, with the first hurricane of the season typically forming in August. Warm ocean temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions have contributed to Beryl’s rapid development. Brian McNoldy, a University of Miami tropical meteorology researcher, noted that the ocean heat content in the deep Atlantic is the highest on record for this time of year.
