A terrifying map has shown Hurricane Beryl hurtling toward the US as it's set to bring dangerous catastrophic conditions to Caribbean Islands with wind speeds of 130mph already recorded.
The National Hurricane Center (NHS) Pacific map predicts Hurricane Beryl will bring "extremely dangerous" conditions to the Windward Islands, with the hurricane having developed into an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm. As of around 2pm ET, Hurricane Beryl was 310 miles east-southeast of Barbados, recording maximum sustained winds of 130mph, moving west at 21mph.
The highest risk areas include St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, where the core of the storm is expected to hit early Monday morning. The catastrophic conditions are predicted to move with hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surges, and damaging waves.
READ MORE: Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont as Hurricane Beryl approaches
READ MORE: Record breaking Hurricane Beryl barrels toward Carribean with warnings it could become dangerous major storm
An update from the National Hurricane Center issued at 2pm AST said "extremely dangerous category 4 Beryl approaching the Windward Islands". It warned: "Life-threatening winds and storm surge expected there beginning early Monday morning."
The conditions are in effect for much of the Windward Islands, where the storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding which is expected to hit throughout Monday and into the following week. Moreover, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Pacific map suggests that residents in the affected areas should be prepared for evacuation, and to listen to their local authorities, government, and emergency management officials.
It reads: "This is a very dangerous situation and residents should listen to local government and emergency management officials for any preparedness/evacuation orders. All preparations should be rushed to completion today."
Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports, and entertainment stories.
Beryl has been recorded as the most powerful June tropical storm in that part of the tropical Atlantic, according to Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University. It is expected to remain a powerful storm as it moves toward the Caribbean Sea later this week, and in Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands. It also suggests that the remainder of the Northwestern Caribbean should monitor its progress.
However, the large forecast uncertainty on days 4 and 5 and users should not focus on the specific details of the track or intensity forecast. Beryl took just 42 hours to strengthen from a tropical depression to a major hurricane, which has only happened six other times in Atlantic hurricane history.
According to hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry, Beryl is now only the third Category 3 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic in June. The other two were Audrey in 1957 and Alma in 1966.
"Beryl is an extremely dangerous and rare hurricane for this time of year in this area," he said. "Unusual is an understatement. Beryl is already a historic hurricane and it hasn't struck yet."
Hurricane Beryl is the second named storm in what's forecast to be a busy hurricane season. Last week, parts of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico were hit with torrential flooding from Tropical Storm Alberto which was responsible for at least four deaths in the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon and Veracruz.
Most Popular
Comments / 0