Hurricane Beryl Nears Category 5 Strength

Hurricane Beryl is a dangerous category 4 hurricane heading through the Southeastern Caribbean.

Position and Movement:

LOCATION...13.2N 63.2W

ABOUT 125 MI...205 KM NW OF GRENADA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...150 MPH...240 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 21 MPH...33 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...944 MB...27.88 INCHES

Watches and Warnings

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* Jamaica

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Grenada

* St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands

* St. Lucia

* Martinique

* South coast of Dominican Republic from Punta Palenque westward to the border with Haiti

* South coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Anse d'Hainault

At 500 PM, the center of Hurricane Beryl was located near latitude 13.2 North, longitude 63.2 West. Beryl is moving toward the west-northwest near 21 mph (33 km/h). The center of Beryl will continue moving away from the southern Windward Islands tonight and move quickly westward to west-northwestward during the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of Beryl will move across the Southeastern and central Caribbean Sea tonight through Tuesday and is forecast to pass near Jamaica on Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph (240 km/h) with higher gusts. Beryl is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Fluctuations in strength are likely during the next day or so, but Beryl is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane as its moves over the eastern Caribbean.

Some weakening is expected in the central Caribbean by midweek, though Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane.