Hurricane Beryl Intensifies to Category 4, Threatens Caribbean

Summary:
Hurricane Beryl intensified into a Category 4 storm Sunday afternoon, aiming for the Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). As of 8 p.m., Beryl was located southeast of Barbados with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. It is projected to move across the Windward Islands Monday morning and into the Caribbean Sea through Wednesday.
Hurricane warnings are in effect for several Caribbean islands, including Barbados and St. Lucia, with tropical storm warnings and watches for others. The storm is expected to bring devastating winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall, potentially causing flash flooding. Beryl’s intensity may reach winds of 140 mph before weakening slightly but will remain a significant hurricane over the next five days.
Another system in the Atlantic has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression, while a newly-formed tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico is forecasted to become a tropical storm before impacting eastern Mexico.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be above average, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting 17 to 25 named storms, including 8 to 13 hurricanes and 4 to 7 major hurricanes.