Hurricane Beryl could become a Category 3 major hurricane by Sunday or Monday, forecasters warned.
Topline
Hurricane Beryl formed Saturday afternoon east of the Caribbean, becoming the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2024 season, and forecasters warn it could quickly strengthen into a Category 3 major hurricane as it barrels toward the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.Key Facts
Beryl strengthened from a tropical storm as it packed maximum sustained winds of 75 mph as of Saturday afternoon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is traveling west at 22 mph, and is expected to turn into a “dangerous major hurricane” and reach the Windward Islands—a group of Caribbean islands including Martinique, Grenada and Dominica—by late Sunday or Monday, the NHC said.
NHC forecasters expect Beryl to bring heavy rain and winds, as well as a dangerous storm surge, with Barbados already facing a hurricane warning while hurricane watches are in effect for St Lucia, Granada and St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands.
