Forecasters are warning this year’s hurricane season could be among the worst in recorded history as Hurricane Beryl moves towards the Caribbean. Beryl is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane, delivering violent winds, intense rainfall and life-threatening storm surge.
Meteorologists cautioned that the eyewall of Beryl is moving through the southern Windward islands, “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” as they say.
Residents on islands in the hurricane’s path were warned on Monday to prepare for heavy damage, as officials cautioned there could be destructive winds and threats to life.
There have been multiple reports of downed trees, flooded streets, power outages and storm surge flooding in the Grenandines, Grenada, Barbados, and Tobago.
“Residents in Grenada, the Grenadine islands, and Carriacou Island should not leave their shelter as destructive winds and life-threatening storm surge are expected during the next few hours,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
On the forecast track, the center of Beryl is currently moving across the southern Windward Islands and will move across the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea late Monday through Wednesday.
Beryl is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it moves across the Caribbean Sea later this week. A Hurricane Watch has been issued for Jamaica.
“Interests in the Cayman Islands, Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the remainder of the northwestern Caribbean should monitor its progress. Additional watches and warnings will likely be required during the next day or two,” the National Hurricane Center warned.
As it is forecasted, Beryl is likely to strengthen slightly through Tuesday morning and then weaken slowly as it moves across the remainder of the Caribbean.
A surge of fresh to strong winds and squalls is expected to move across the tropical N Atlantic Tuesday night through Wednesday, then across the eastern and central Caribbean thereafter, associated with an area of low pressure, AL96, which has the potential for tropical cyclone formation.
NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft data indicate that Beryl has strengthened to an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane.
