Hurricane Beryl is swiftly strengthening in the central Atlantic Ocean and poses a significant hurricane threat to the Windward Islands, but its destiny in the Caribbean Sea remains uncertain as we watch two additional systems in a hectic end-of-June pattern.
Beryl has reached maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, becoming the season’s first hurricane. The centre of Beryl is more than 700 miles east of the Windward Islands. It is fast heading westward across the open waters of the central Atlantic Ocean. Beryl has quickly intensified after becoming a tropical depression on Friday.
Beryl is the easternmost hurricane to form in the tropical Atlantic in June, breaking a 90+ year old record.
According to the National storm Centre, the first storm of the season normally originates around August 11, based on averages from 1991 to 2020.
Westminster Islands danger: Beryl is expected to strengthen swiftly on Sunday. The National Hurricane Center’s current forecast, shown below, predicts Beryl to become the season’s first Category 3 or stronger hurricane over record warm late-June water before moving over the Windward Islands late Sunday night or Monday with flooding rain, storm surge, and devastating winds.
Interests in the Windward Islands, which include Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Martinique, should stay up to date on the storm’s forecast and prepare hurricane plans.
Barbados has issued a hurricane warning, with tropical storms expected as early as Sunday afternoon and hurricanes by late Sunday.
St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada are all under hurricane watches. Tropical storm conditions could reach on these islands as early as late Sunday, with hurricane conditions conceivable by early Monday.
Dominica, Martinique, and Tobago are under a tropical storm watch.
