By Horace Palacio: Tropical Storm Beryl, the second named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, is rapidly intensifying and is expected to become a “dangerous major” hurricane by Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned.
Beryl, currently located about 820 miles east-southeast of Barbados, is forecast to become a hurricane by late Saturday or early Sunday, with winds reaching major hurricane strength of 111 mph or more before impacting the Windward Islands on Monday morning.
The storm’s path is projected to take it across the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea, where it could bring heavy rain, hurricane-force winds, and dangerous storm surges. A hurricane watch has been issued for Barbados, and others are expected as the storm progresses.
While conditions in the Caribbean may hinder further strengthening, the NHC advises residents in the central and western Caribbean to closely monitor the storm’s progress.
Beryl’s rapid intensification is unusual for this early in the season. If it becomes a hurricane by Sunday afternoon, it would break the record for the farthest east a hurricane has formed in the tropical Atlantic, set in 1933.
Experts predict an above-average hurricane season this year, with the NHC forecasting between 17 and 25 named storms.
