Hurricane Beryl intensified into a Category 5 storm as it approached Jamaica late Monday, following its destructive path through the eastern Caribbean as the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season.
KEY FACTS
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Beryl has escalated to a “potentially catastrophic” Category 5 storm in the eastern Caribbean, with maximum sustained winds reaching 160 mph.
After causing significant damage in the eastern Caribbean islands—including Grenada, Barbados, Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia—a hurricane warning is now in effect for Jamaica. The storm is expected to pass near the island on Wednesday.
The NHC’s forecast warns of “life-threatening winds and storm surge” in Jamaica, along with 4 to 8 inches of rain and potential flash flooding.
The hurricane has claimed at least one life in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as confirmed by the country’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Monday night.
NEWS PEG
Hurricane Beryl is now the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane and only the second such intense storm recorded in the Atlantic in July. Previously, Hurricane Emily held this record on July 17, 2005. The NHC’s forecast indicates that Beryl’s strength may fluctuate over the next few days but is expected to remain near major hurricane intensity as it moves into the central Caribbean and passes near Jamaica on Wednesday.
KEY BACKGROUND
Beryl is likely the first of several Atlantic hurricanes in what could be a record-breaking hurricane season. In May, meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted up to 25 named storms this season, with eight to 13 potentially developing into hurricanes. This grim forecast comes as Atlantic water temperatures hit record highs, accelerating the arrival of major hurricanes. Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that rising global temperatures could trigger more extreme weather events.
BIG NUMBER 157 mph.
This is the minimum sustained wind speed for a hurricane to be classified as Category 5—the highest classification on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. According to the NHC, a Category 5 storm can cause “catastrophic damage,” including the destruction of a “high percentage of frame homes,” uprooting trees, and causing power outages that may last several weeks or even months.
