Hurricane Beryl Sets a Dangerous Precedent for 2023

Hurricane Beryl, now a Category 5 storm, is expected to bring a very dangerous hurricane season, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The storm has already impacted Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and is expected to hit Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Warmer ocean temperatures are cited as a contributing factor.

Hurricane Beryl, which has recently intensified into a Category 5 storm, is setting a dangerous precedent for an already anticipated heavy hurricane season, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on Tuesday.

The storm has left many households without power in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with projections indicating potential impacts on Jamaica and the Cayman Islands later this week. WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis highlighted that Beryl's early development as a Category 5 hurricane is unprecedented in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Central American basin.

'This could signal a very active and very dangerous hurricane season, affecting the entire region,' Nullis warned. A Category 5 storm, marked by winds of 252 kilometers an hour or more, can cause catastrophic damage to homes and infrastructure.

'Even a single land-falling hurricane can undo decades of development,' Nullis emphasized, expressing concern for the small Caribbean islands unaccustomed to such powerful storms. Anne-Claire Fontan, a scientific officer with the WMO Tropical Cyclone Programme, noted that warmer ocean temperatures in the Main Development Region contribute to the early formation and strength of hurricanes like Beryl.

(With inputs from agencies.)