Hurricane Beryl Strengthens to Category 4 Storm as It Targets Caribbean – Orlando Sentinel

Hurricane Beryl developed into a major Category 4 hurricane Sunday afternoon as it targeted the Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 2 p.m., the hurricane was located about 310 miles east-southeast of Barbados and 405 miles east of Grenada with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph moving west at 21 mph. Hurricane force winds extend out to 30 miles and tropical storm force winds extend out to 115 miles.

“Rapid strengthening is expected to continue over the next day or so, and Beryl is expected to become an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands,” said John Cangialosi, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and the island of Tobago. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Martinique, and tropical storm warnings have also been issued for Dominica and the island of Tobago.

“Continued rapid westward movement to the west-northwest is expected over the next few days,” Cangialosi said. “Based on the forecast track, Beryl’s center is expected to move through the Windward Islands early Monday and through the southeastern Caribbean Sea Monday night and Tuesday.”

The hurricane is expected to intensify further with sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts of 165 mph before it passes the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean with the risk of devastating wind damage.

Below are the key hurricane messages at 11 a.m. EST Sunday #berylCatastrophic hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge and damaging surf are expected as Beryl passes over parts of the Windward Islands with the highest risk of heart attack in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/xkfwJhtf2j

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 30, 2024

Storm surges of 6 to 9 feet above normal are expected, along with large and destructive waves, while 3 to 6 inches of rain are expected across Barbados and the Windward Islands through Monday, potentially causing flash flooding.

Its five-day forecast keeps the storm south of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola but close to Jamaica as a major hurricane on Wednesday before heading west toward the Yucatán Peninsula by Friday as a Category 2 hurricane.

“Models show a gradual increase in shear as the system moves across the Caribbean Sea, which should cause Beryl to stabilize in intensity and then gradually weaken,” Cangialosi said. “However, Beryl is expected to remain a major hurricane for the next five days.”

#beryl Now I am a third category major. #tornado With maximum sustained winds of 115 mph – the third oldest major Atlantic hurricane on record, after Alma (6/8/1966) and Audrey (6/27/1957). pic.twitter.com/RYXqSGomta

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 30, 2024

Beryl’s rapid growth into a Category 3 major hurricane is the third-oldest Atlantic hurricane on record, behind Hurricane Alma in 1966 and Hurricane Audrey in 1957, said meteorologist Philip Klotzbach of Colorado State University.

He added that this is also the first major June hurricane ever east of the Lesser Antilles, having already set the record for furthest eastward hurricane in June, beating another hurricane in 1933.

The oldest Category 4 hurricane on record is Hurricane Dennis, which reached this strength on July 8, 2005.

The NHC is also tracking two other systems with a chance of developing into the next tropical depression or storm of the season.

Hurricane Beryl follows eastward an area of ​​low pressure in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

“Environmental conditions appear favorable for further development of this system, and a tropical depression will likely form by the middle part of this week while moving generally westward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic Ocean,” forecasters said. “Interests in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of this system.”

The NHC gave it a 40% chance of developing in the next two days and 70% in the next seven.

The other system is in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, an area of ​​low pressure over the southern Bay of Campeche, and the system showed more organization Sunday afternoon. An Air Force reconnaissance aircraft continues to investigate the system.

“A tropical depression is possible. The system is moving west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph and is expected to approach the east coast of Mexico tonight and move inland Monday morning,” forecasters said. “A storm watch may therefore be needed “Tropical later today for part of the east coast of Mexico.”

Whether it forms or not, the system will bring heavy rain to parts of Central America and Mexico through early next week.

The National Hurricane Center expected that the chances of its development during the next two days would reach 80%.

The next two names for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November. Chris and Debbie are 30 years old.

The first named storm of the season, Tropical Storm Alberto, formed on June 19 after a slow start to the season. However, the peak hurricane season runs from mid-August to October.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts an above-average year in the Atlantic with 17 to 25 named storms, eight to 13 of which are expected to become hurricanes, and four to seven of which will be major hurricanes.