Hurricane Beryl Threatens Caribbean with Record-Setting Fury

Hurricane Beryl is predicted to turn into a Category 4 hurricane as it nears the southeast Caribbean. Officials urge residents to seek shelter due to potential life-threatening conditions. The storm's rapid intensification has set several records, causing widespread panic and preparations.

Hurricane Beryl is forecast to strengthen into a powerful Category 4 storm as it approaches the southeast Caribbean, which began shutting down Sunday amid urgent pleads from government officials for people to take shelter.

Hurricane warnings were in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The National Hurricane Centre in Miami issued a stark warning about the impending danger, describing Beryl as an "extremely dangerous hurricane" capable of bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge. Beryl intensified to a Category 3 hurricane on Sunday, marking it as the first major hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles in June, according to Philip Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

Beryl stands as only the third Category 3 hurricane recorded in the Atlantic in June, following Audrey in 1957 and Alma in 1966, according to hurricane expert Michael Lowry. The storm was situated about 465 miles (750 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbados, possessing sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph) and traveling westward at 21 mph (33 kph). Hurricane hunters have been dispatched to collect data on its intensity, per the National Hurricane Centre.

The storm is anticipated to pass just south of Barbados early Monday, advancing into the Caribbean Sea as a formidable hurricane. Although weakening is expected mid-week, Beryl is forecast to maintain hurricane status as it heads toward Mexico.

Forecasters project life-threatening storm surge reaching up to 9 feet (3 meters) with up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain for Barbados and neighboring islands.

In preparation, long lines have formed at gas stations and grocery stores as residents brace for the record-breaking and rapidly intensifying storm, transforming from a tropical storm with 35 mph winds on Friday to a Category 1 hurricane by Saturday.

Brian McNoldy of the University of Miami highlighted that the unusually warm waters, with the highest recorded ocean heat content for this time of year in the deep Atlantic, are fueling Beryl.

Breaking a 1933 record, Beryl is the farthest east a June hurricane has ever formed in the tropical Atlantic, according to Klotzbach. Should Beryl's winds reach 125 mph, it would be the second earliest such storm for the Atlantic, surpassing Audrey in 1957.

If Beryl climbs to Category 3 status, it would become only the third such storm in the Caribbean before August, following Dennis and Emily in July 2005, Klotzbach noted.

Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley urged vigilance in a public address Saturday, aiming to avoid risks to lives. The Twenty20 World Cup final had drawn thousands to Barbados, adding urgency to the preparations. Mottley emphasized plans to manage the safety of the visitors, particularly those unaccustomed to hurricanes. She announced the closure of businesses and the airport by Sunday evening.

Kemar Saffrey, president of a Barbadian group addressing homelessness, took to social media to warn against complacency among those without homes, stressing the storm's danger and encouraging the use of shelters.

Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams echoed these sentiments, rallying Barbadians to help vulnerable individuals. Similarly, St. Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre declared a national shutdown and extended school and business closures to Monday, asserting the priority is life preservation.

Caribbean leaders are also monitoring a cluster of thunderstorms trailing Beryl with a potential to develop into a tropical depression.

Mottley cautioned, "Do not let your guard down."

Beryl is the season's second named storm in an expected above-average hurricane season, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts to include up to 25 named storms, 13 hurricanes, and four major hurricanes, surpassing the average of 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)