Historic hurricane Hurricane "Beryl" continues to approach the Caribbean islands
Hurricane "Beryl" has already set a record on its way across the warm Atlantic waters. It is now becoming dangerous for several islands in the Caribbean.
01.07.2024, 16:01
dpa
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- Never before since records began has a category 4 Atlantic hurricane formed at this early stage.
- "Beryl" is expected to reach parts of the Caribbean Windward Islands this Monday.
- The hurricane is moving at wind speeds of up to 215 kilometers per hour.
The first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic is advancing towards several small Caribbean islands. The dangerous storm is on its way with sustained wind speeds of up to 215 kilometers per hour and is expected to reach parts of the Windward Islands today, Monday. After weakening somewhat in the meantime, it has now been upgraded again to a category 4 hurricane out of 5.
According to the US weather agency NOAA, the eye of the hurricane was located 200 kilometers east-southeast of the island of Grenada and 225 kilometers southeast of St. Vincent this morning local time (11 a.m. CEST). Meteorologists at the US Hurricane Center in Miami (Florida) warn of life-threatening winds and severe storm surges.
Hurricane warnings are currently in place for the islands of Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago. A tropical storm warning is also in force for Martinique and Trinidad.
Historic hurricane
"If this hurricane hits us as predicted (...) we will suffer much loss and damage, both to individual families and to the country as a whole," said the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, in an address to the nation. "May God guide and protect us all," the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Philip Pierre, announced on Facebook, calling a national shutdown.
In less than 24 hours on Sunday, "Beryl" had developed from a tropical storm to a category 4 hurricane with wind speeds of 215 kilometers per hour. "Beryl is now the earliest Category 4 Atlantic hurricane on record, surpassing Hurricane Dennis, which became a Category 4 hurricane on July 8, 2005," wrote hurricane and storm surge expert Michael Lowry on Platform X.
Hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific are named each year according to alphabetical lists. The already extremely strong "Beryl" is therefore only the second storm of the season, which begins in the Atlantic on June 1 and in the Pacific on May 15. A hurricane is defined as having wind speeds of 119 kilometers per hour or more, with the highest category 5 starting at 251 kilometers per hour.
Unusually severe hurricane season
According to the US weather authority, the hurricane season over the Atlantic could therefore be unusually severe this year. Causes include above-average water temperatures in the Atlantic and the expected onset of "La Niña", a phase of cooler water in the Pacific.
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. Global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. Cyclones often increase in strength as they move across the sea. Over land, they quickly lose their strength as there is no supply of warm, moist air masses.
According to current forecasts, "Beryl" is likely to continue moving westwards through the Caribbean Sea after leaving the Lesser Antilles behind. According to Mexican forecasts, it is likely to approach the east coast of the Yucatán peninsula with the popular beach resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen on Thursday.
