Tropical Storm Beryl formed in the Atlantic east of the Windward Islands and is expected to become Hurricane Beryl by Sunday as it moves westward. It is the second named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The storm is forecasted to bring heavy rain, hurricane force winds, and dangerous storm surge to the Windward Islands late Sunday and into Monday morning.
The forecast indicates that Beryl could strengthen into a major hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands and then cross into the Caribbean Sea, potentially impacting the western half of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and eastern Cuba. The storm’s track after entering the Caribbean is uncertain, with some models suggesting different potential paths.
The formation of Beryl in the central or eastern tropical Atlantic this early in the year is unusual, with only a few storms historically achieving this. The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be above average, with NOAA predicting between 17-25 named storms and the potential for major hurricanes. The season is forecasted to be “extraordinary,” with an 85% chance for an above-average year.
In addition to Beryl, a low pressure system in the northwestern Caribbean is likely to develop further as it moves into the southern Gulf of Mexico, bringing rain and gusty winds to Central America and Mexico. Another tropical wave southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands may develop next week as it heads westward.
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