Hurricane Beryl has become an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to bring life-threatening winds and flash flooding to the Caribbean's Windward Islands as it rapidly strengthens into Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) says.

Bridgetown

The Caribbean is bracing for Category 4 Hurricane Beryl.

Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane Beryl has intensified into a Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Ocean, marking the first major hurricane of the 2024 season. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Beryl was approaching the Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour.

The NHC forecasts that Beryl will impact the Windward Islands, including Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenadines, Granada, and Tobago. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening winds, storm surges potentially raising water levels by up to nine feet, and significant flash flooding.

Beryl's rapid development is notable; it is the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record. Experts attributed this to near-record warm ocean temperatures, which the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had indicated would contribute to higher-than-normal hurricane activity this year.



Hurricane Beryl strengthens to Category 4 storm

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday that Hurricane Beryl had become a very dangerous Category 4 storm as it neared the Caribbean, the first major hurricane of the 2024 season. New projection maps showed the hurricane barreling toward Barbados with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour. The forecaster said Beryl is expected to hit the Windward Islands late Sunday night, bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge that could raise water levels up to nine feet above normal. Hurricane warnings have been issued in Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, as well as the Grenadine Islands, Granada, and Tobago. It's rare for a major hurricane to appear as early in the year as June. Last month, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted above-normal hurricane activity this year, in part due to near-record warm ocean temperatures. According to National Hurricane Center data, Beryl on Sunday became the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record.

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