Hurricane Beryl Becomes Earliest Category 5 Hurricane on Record

13.07.2024 - 02:47 / travelpulse.com / North America / Rich Thomaselli

UPDATE: 8:30 AM EST Tues July 2, 2024

Hurricane Beryl has become the year's earliest Atlantic Category 5 hurricane recorded by human history. The National Hurricane Center's morning report found Beryl moving at about 22 mph with maximum sustained wind speeds of 165 mph. 

Overnight, it swept through the Windward Islands, hitting the Grenadian islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique with winds of 150 mph, downing power lines and wreaking destruction. According to St. Vincent and the Grenadines' Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, at least one person is dead in the multi-island nation, but it's too early to make an official count. Both Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are without power and water.

A report by Reuters suggests that climate change is partially to blame for the severity of the storm so early in the Atlantic hurricane season, since Beryl had went from a Category 1 to a Category 4 hurricane in less than 10 hours due to warmer Atlantic water temperatures. 

The NHC warns that Beryl will head for Jamaica and make landfall Wednesday and pass near the Cayman Islands on Thursday. Jamaica is currently under a hurricane warning, while the Cayman Islands are under a hurricane watch. Beryl is expected to weaken, but remain at major intensity when it passes by both nations. 

Hispaniola, the island home to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic, is expected to receive 2-6 inches of rainfall along the southern part of the island. 

Jamaica is expecting 4-6 feet storm surges and 4-8 inches of rainfall, likely causing flash flooding. The Cayman Islands are expecting to receive 1-3 feet in storm surge and rainfall that could also cause flash flooding in some areas. 

UPDATE: 9:00 AM EST Mon July 1, 2024

Hurricane Beryl, the first major hurricane of the year and, according to the Associated Press, the first major hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles in June in recorded history, is continuing its course towards the islands of Barbados, Grenada, Tobago and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which are all under hurricane warnings. 

According to an update from the National Hurricane Center at 9:00 a.m. AST, the Windward Islands will see the hurricane make landfall within the next few hours. A Barbados weather station reported sustained winds of 44 mph and wind gusts of 60 mph.

Hurricane Beryl is located about 60 miles east of Grenada and is traveling at 20 mph with a maximum sustained wind of 130 mph. A category 4 hurricane is the second-highest hurricane strength classification. Hurricanes are classified by their wind speeds, which are a good indicator of severity. 

A tropical storm warning is also in effect for the islands of Martinique, Trinidad and St. Lucia, while portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti