Beryl grew into a hurricane on Saturday as it barelled towards the southeastern Caribbean with forecasters warning it could escalate into a potentially deadly major storm before reaching Barbados late Sunday or early Monday.
A major hurricane is labeled as Category 3 or higher, with a wind speed of at least 111 mph (178 kph). As per Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University, Beryl, being a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday night, marked the most easterly formation of a hurricane in the tropical Atlantic in June since 1933, setting a new record.
Warnings of an approaching hurricane were issued for Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Meanwhile, Martinique and Tobago received a tropical storm warning and Dominica was alerted for a potential tropical storm.
"It's astonishing to see a forecast for a major (Category 3+) hurricane in June anywhere in the Atlantic, let alone this far east in the deep tropics. #Beryl organizing in a hurry over the warmest waters ever recorded for late June," posted Michael Lowry, a Florida-based hurricane expert, on X, formerly Twitter.
Read more: Hurricane season may be more dangerous than ever this year due to rising ocean temperatures
Sabu Best, director of Barbados's meteorological service, projected that the center of Beryl would pass approximately 26 miles (45 kilometers) south of Barbados. The storm is then expected to traverse the Caribbean towards Jamaica and ultimately, Mexico.
Late on Saturday, Beryl was located approximately 595 miles (955 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbados, with its maximum sustained winds having increased to 85 mph (140 kph). It was moving westward at a speed of 20 mph (31 kph).
"Rapid strengthening is now forecast," stated the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center. Atmospheric science researcher Tomer Burg pointed out that Beryl was merely a tropical depression with 35 mph winds on Friday.
"This means that according to preliminary data, Beryl already met rapid intensification criteria before even becoming a hurricane," he posted on social media platform X.
Beryl's strength was being boosted by warm waters, with ocean heat content in the deep Atlantic at record highs for this time of year, as per Brian McNoldy, University of Miami tropical meteorology researcher.
Beryl also holds the record for being the strongest June tropical storm that far east in the tropical Atlantic, according to Klotzbach.
"We remain absolutely vigilant and need to take every precaution that is possible for ourselves, for our family and for our neighbors," Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address on Saturday night, urging all businesses to close by Sunday evening. "We do not want to put anybody's life at risk."
She mentioned that thousands of people are in Barbados for the Twenty20 World Cup cricket final, with India defeating South Africa on Saturday in the capital of Bridgetown. This event is considered the pinnacle of cricket.
Some fans, like Shashank Musku, a 33 year old physician from Pittsburgh, were scrambling to rearrange their travel plans to escape before the storm hits.
On the phone, Musku admitted he's never been in a hurricane and stated: "I don't plan on being in one, either."
He and his wife, who were cheering for India, were tipped off about Beryl by a chatty cab driver.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves addressed the public on Saturday, announcing that shelters would open by Sunday evening and encouraged residents to get ready.
He instructed government officials to top up on fuel and called on local businesses to extend their hours.
Gonsalves warned of the inevitable rush if businesses closed early and preemptively apologized for any interruptions to regular radio broadcasts due to necessary storm updates, saying: "Cricket lovers have to bear with us that we'll have to give information ... this is life and death."
Beryl marks the second named storm of what's expected to be an intense hurricane season, spanning from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Earlier in the month, Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall in northeastern Mexico, bringing torrential rains that led to four fatalities.
Weather expert Lowry pointed out that records going back to 1851 show only five named storms have formed in June in the tropical Atlantic east of the Caribbean, with just one reaching hurricane status. That lone hurricane was in 1933, during the most active recorded hurricane season.
Mark Spence, a hostel manager in Barbados, is keeping his cool as a storm looms. Over the phone, he shared, "It's the season. You can get a storm any time," adding, "I'm always prepared. I always have enough food in my house."
Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a forecast that suggests the 2024 hurricane season could be particularly intense, with an expected 17 to 25 named storms, potentially including up to 13 hurricanes and four major ones.
This prediction far exceeds the average season, which typically sees 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. Beryl, the current storm threat, may bring as much as six inches of rain to Barbados and surrounding areas, along with a high surf advisory warning of waves reaching 13 feet and a possible storm surge of up to seven feet.
This storm follows closely on the heels of severe flooding in Trinidad and Tobago's capital, caused by a separate weather incident. Adding to the region's concerns is another cluster of thunderstorms trailing Beryl, with a 70% chance of developing into a tropical depression by mid-next week.
Earlier in June, an unnamed storm wreaked havoc in South Florida, dumping over 20 inches of rain, leading to widespread flooding and damage.
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