Hurricane Beryl, now a powerful Category 5 storm, has unleashed its fury upon the southern Caribbean, leaving a trail of devastation and triggering high alerts across the region. After wreaking havoc on the southern Windward Islands, Beryl intensified overnight into Tuesday as it moved deeper into the Caribbean Sea, setting its sights on Jamaica. This powerful storm has prompted warnings and urgent preparations across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Cayman Islands.
Beryl struck Carriacou Island in Grenada with the force of a Category 4 hurricane on Monday, packing winds of 150 mph. The storm’s impact resulted in at least three fatalities and left Grenada, the Grenadines, and St. Vincent reeling from widespread destruction. As Beryl continued its westward journey across the Caribbean Sea, it regained strength, achieving the distinction of being the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane on Monday night.
By Tuesday morning, Beryl had slightly weakened, with the National Hurricane Center reporting maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, down from 165 mph earlier. However, despite the slight decrease in intensity, Beryl remained a formidable hurricane, posing significant dangers. The NHC predicted that Beryl would bring life-threatening winds and storm surges to Jamaica on Wednesday. As it nears Jamaica, wind speeds are expected to reduce to 110 mph, just below Category 3, but the storm will still pose significant threats. Rainfall forecasts include 4 to 8 inches, with isolated areas receiving up to 12 inches, potentially causing flash flooding.
AccuWeather reports that Hurricane Beryl set new records with its devastating impact on the Windward Islands, creating unprecedented levels of destruction for this early in the hurricane season. The powerful storm made landfall on Carriacou at 11 a.m. EDT on Monday as a Category 4 hurricane, with winds reaching 140 mph. This event marked the first time a hurricane has made landfall on Carriacou since records began in the 1850s. By early Monday night, Beryl had intensified into a rare Category 5 hurricane after sweeping over the islands.
Beryl is projected to pass near the Cayman Islands on Thursday, possibly raising water levels by 2 to 4 feet above normal tides and bringing heavy rainfall. Haiti’s southern coast is under a hurricane watch, with tropical storm conditions anticipated by Tuesday for both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Residents and visitors in the Cayman Islands, Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula, and the Gulf are advised to keep a close watch on Beryl’s path, as it is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by Thursday evening.
President Joe Biden, in a statement on X, confirmed that he is closely monitoring Hurricane Beryl and that his administration is prepared to assist Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the region. He has been in communication with officials, including those from USAID and FEMA. The NHC warned that swells capable of creating life-threatening rip currents could reach southern Puerto Rico by Tuesday.
As Hurricane Beryl advances through the Caribbean, several cruise lines have adjusted their itineraries to steer clear of the storm. Several UK airlines have been canceling flights. On Sunday, both the shuttle flight between Barbados and St. Vincent and the round trip from London Heathrow to Barbados and St. Vincent were canceled. A Virgin Atlantic flight left Barbados five hours ahead of schedule on Sunday morning to evade the hurricane. Norwegian Cruise Line has significantly changed the schedule for its week-long voyage on the Norwegian Breakaway, which departed Miami, Florida, on Sunday. The cruise line canceled planned stops in Honduras, Harvest Caye in Belize, and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico. Instead, the ship will visit Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.
