Hurricane Beryl: First Atlantic Hurricane Of 2024 Approaches ...

6 days ago

Forbes

Topline

Hurricane Beryl, a dangerous Category 3 storm, is expected to make landfall in the southern part of the Caribbean islands on Monday, as weather authorities warned of life-threatening winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall.

Strong winds blow as Hurricane Beryl approaches Bridgetown, Barbados.

AFP via Getty Images Key Facts

According to the National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) latest advisory on Monday, maximum sustained wind speeds of 120 mph “with higher gusts” were reported, as Beryl was centered about 110 miles southeast of Barbados.

The advisory warned of hurricane-force winds extending up to 30 miles out from the storm’s center.

Beryl is expected to make landfall early on Monday across the Caribbean region’s Windward Islands and a hurricane warning is in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, Grenada and Tobago.

While Beryl’s strength may fluctuate after landfall, the NHC warned it is “expected to remain a dangerous major hurricane,” as its core moves through the island countries.

The forecast warns of “catastrophic wind damage” along areas in the path of the hurricane’s core, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada likely bearing the brunt.

Authorities also warned of storm surges 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels and 3 to 6 inches across Barbados and the Windward Islands.

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Big Number

111 mph. That is the minimum sustained wind speed for a hurricane classified as Category 3 under the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. According to the NHC, a category 3 storm can cause “devastating damage,” affecting even well-built frame homes, uprooting trees and causing power outages that can last several days to weeks.

Tangent

The T20 Cricket World Cup, which was co-hosted by the Caribbean nations and the U.S. ended on Saturday with the Indian team winning the final and the title in Barbados. However, many fans who attended the final game and the Indian team have been unable to fly back home as the hurricane has caused authorities to shut down the main airport. In her address over the weekend, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley acknowledged this saying: “Our visitors are here with us…and some of them have never gone through a hurricane or a storm before.” She then urged the island’s residents to be the “best host they can be.” Whenever the airport is reopened, the Indian cricket team and its support staff are scheduled to fly back home on board a chartered plane.

Key Background

Over the weekend Beryl rapidly strengthened from a tropical depression into a major hurricane and briefly reached Category 4 speeds. This makes Beryl the earliest category 4 storm in the Atlantic, beating 2005’s Hurricane Dennis. Earlier this year, meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be the busiest on record. According to the agency, up to 25 named storms could emerge throughout the season—and eight to 13 of them could develop into hurricanes. The extreme weather forecast is the result of near-record warm sea surface temperatures.