Hurricane Beryl is pushing further into the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as a dangerous Category 4 storm. It formed on Friday, becoming the second named storm of 2024, before turning into the earliest Category 4 in Atlantic record on Sunday. So far, at least seven people are known to have died as a result of the storm, which has caused significant damage on islands across the Caribbean, according to NBC News. While we know Baryl isn’t headed towards Florida, read on for what to know about the powerful storm.
What category hurricane is Beryl currently?
As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Beryl is a major Category 4 storm with 145 mph winds. The National Hurricane Wind Scale is measured through 1-5 categories, with 5 being the most powerful kind of hurricane. Category 4 storms can cause “catastrophic damage” with winds between 130-156 mph.
Will Hurricane Beryl affect Florida?
While Beryl’s path is uncertain, there won’t be any impact at all to Florida as the storm moves westward. AccuWeather forecasters currently don’t expect any impacts to the U.S., but if high pressure across the Southeast weakens, Beryl could move farther north and potentially impact the Gulf Coast. Due to this, those along the Texas coast should closely monitor the hurricane’s progress and prepare for potential impacts. So, while it will likely stay away from Florida, the Gulf Coast will need to keep an eye on the storm.
Where is its path currently projected to go?
As of Wednesday, Hurricane Beryl is approaching Jamaica with forecasted life-threatening winds and flooding that could reach six to nine feet above normal tide levels. This will likely be the strongest hurricane to strike the Caribbean island nation since Hurricane Dean in 2007. Jamaica’s prime minister, Andrew Holness, has declared the entire island a ‘disaster area’ in an address to the public.
Beryl will then impact the Cayman Islands with storm surge flooding, high winds and heavy rain, before moving over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
According to The Weather Channel, there is a large uncertainty in Beryl’s future once it’s in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf’s water temperatures are warmer than normal, adding to the storm’s unpredictability. It should lose strength in the coming days as it encounters wind shear and land interaction, but some restrengthening is expected before its final landfall.
What makes Hurricane Beryl historic?
Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record Tuesday with 165 mph winds. According to the National Hurricane Center, it is also the strongest July hurricane on record. Beryl has since weakened to a still-powerful Category 4 as it moves west in the Caribbean Sea through the rest of this week.
The storm’s characteristics are quite eye-opening for how the rest of Atlantic hurricane season might play out. Forecasters have predicted it to be one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons ever.