Hurricane Beryl closing in on Jamaica; southern Texas should stand by as track is still uncertain

Jamaica began to see some of the effects of Hurricane Beryl Wednesday afternoon as the Category 4 hurricane continued its charge through the Caribbean.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said Beryl had top sustained winds of 140 mph, down from its peak intensity of 165 mph on Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center said the center of Beryl was starting to approach Jamaica around 2 p.m. ET but the island nation was already seeing conditions similar to that of a tropical storm.

At its peak intensity, Beryl was the strongest July hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.

The National Hurricane Center said after Beryl passes Jamaica, it will head toward the Cayman Islands. Then, it will continue west toward the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Officials in Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the coast from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun ahead of the storm's anticipated arrival on Thursday.

Forecasters said there is still considerable uncertainty over Beryl's intensity and track in the coming days. Wind shear is expected to cause Beryl to weaken, but not all computerized forecast models agree on how much of a factor wind shear will be.

The National Hurricane Center said because of the unpredictability at this point, southern Texas should monitor the storm closely.

NOAA

Forecasters, however, are confident that Beryl will have significant and potentially life-threatening impacts to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Mexico in the coming days.

"Devastating hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge, and damaging waves are expected in portions of Jamaica beginning this afternoon and in the Cayman Islands early on Thursday," the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday. "Residents in these areas should listen to local government and emergency management officials for preparedness and/or evacuation orders."

The storm could dump up to 12 inches of rain in some localized areas as it moves across Jamaica, likely causing flash flooding and mudslides, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm surge could raise water levels 6 to 9 feet above normal tide.

Jamaica issues Wednesday curfew

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a disaster for Jamaica and implemented a nationwide curfew effective from 6 a.m. through 6 p.m. Wednesday.

"This is to ensure the safety of everyone during the passage of the storm and to prevent any movement with the intent to carry out criminal activity," the prime minister said.