- Caribbean braces as Hurricane Beryl strengthens
- Caribbean nations are preparing for the hurricane by boarding up homes, stocking up on supplies
- Beryl could become a category-four storm
- It is expected to bring hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surges, and heavy rainfall
- This hurricane season, running from June 1 to November 30, is expected to be busy
Caribbean braces as Hurricane Beryl strengthens
Caribbean nations are urging residents to prepare for a powerful and potentially deadly hurricane which is rapidly intensifying as it approaches the islands.
Beryl, the first named hurricane of the season, is expected to hit several islands late on Sunday. Forecasters warn it could become a category four storm, with winds up to 155mph (250km/h) and storm surges between 6-10ft (1.8-3m).
The storm is anticipated to strengthen further, threatening islands such as Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and Martinique. AccuWeather’s Lead Hurricane Forecaster, Alex DaSilva, noted the storm’s unusual and dangerous rapid intensification.
Residents are boarding up homes, stocking up on supplies, and queueing for fuel. In Barbados, the prime minister urged people to look out for each other as the storm approaches.
Hurricane Beryl, which formed from a tropical storm on Friday night, already has winds of 130mph. It is expected to bring hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surges, and heavy rainfall to the Windward Islands, including Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
Barbados’ meteorological service has issued warnings of power outages and flash flooding, with the hurricane’s eye expected to pass about 26 miles (45 km) south of the island, potentially dropping up to six inches (15cm) of rain.
Prime Minister Mia Motley of Barbados and Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines have urged residents to take precautions and prepare for the hurricane’s impact, including opening emergency shelters and extending store hours.
Meteorologist Ithoma James from Dominica also warned residents to be prepared, as the hurricane could be devastating.
This hurricane season, running from June 1 to November 30, is expected to be busy, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting up to 25 named storms. Of these, four to seven could become category three or stronger hurricanes. Hurricane Beryl is one of the earliest major storms in this forecast.