Ah, summer! There's birds in the sky, tourists on the beach, and a hurricane brewing in the Atlantic. Wait, that last one's not happy-go-lucky — strike that. One of the downsides to the summer season, especially for those in the Caribbean and Southern U.S., is hurricanes. Well, 2024 officially has its first hurricane of the season — Hurricane Beryl.
The storm has intensified over the weekend and is currently heading for the Caribbean. According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurrican Beryl has intensified with winds now packing a punch of 75mph. It's headed westward with a trajectory having it hit the Windward Islands.
The organization officially declared it a Category 1 hurricane, given its wind speeds. However, they predict that Beryl may intensify further in the coming days. That makes it a real threat, especially for the islands of Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada and the Grenadines. The storm will hit these islands on Sunday or Monday.
The organization is predicting a storm surge and possibly life-threatening winds. The organization officially declared a hurricane warning for Barbados. "Beryl is now a hurricane and forecast to intensify quickly," the National Hurricane Center said. Officials in the island nation are preparing appropriately.
Hurricane Beryl Rocks Caribbean
"We need to be ready," Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address Friday. "It is better to plan for the worst and pray for the best."
Beryl will hit Barbados overnight on Sunday into Monday morning. Residents are advised to seek shelter. Meanwhile, other islands remain on a hurricane watch. These islands include St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Several islands are also under a tropical storm watch including Dominica, Tobago and Martinique.
As for people in the U.S., should you be concerned? Right now, the storm is on track to hit Puerto Rico and Cuba before hitting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It's likely that the U.S. and British Virgin Islands will feel effects from the storm. For now, the hurricane doesn't appear to show any danger to the mainland United States.
However, hurricane season hasn't even officially started. The National Hurricane Center is predicting an active season, forecasting 13 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms. We'll keep you updated as we learn more.
