WEATHER | Tropical Storm Beryl targets Winward Islands - Barbados battens down

MONTEGO BAY, June 29, 2024 - Tropical Storm Beryl, the second tropical depression of the Atlantic hurricane season, is about 820 miles east-southeast of Barbados and has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving west at 23 mph, the center said in an advisory at 11 a.m. ET Saturday.

Beryl, now a tropical storm, is expected to become a hurricane as early as Saturday night or Sunday morning – and a dangerous major hurricane by Monday, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory Saturday morning.

Hurricane Watches are now in effect for Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands; Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for Martinique and Tobago, the center said. Beryl is expected to rapidly strengthen and become a hurricane Saturday night or early Sunday. Its winds are expected to reach major hurricane strength of 111 mph or more before its center reaches the Windward islands on Monday morning.

Conditions in the atmosphere and ocean where Beryl is moving are “abnormally favorable for strengthening,” the hurricane center has said. Conditions appear to be less conducive after the storm enters the Caribbean, with more wind shear that may end the strengthening and cause slow weakening, the center said this morning.

Beryl will bring the risk of heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds and dangerous storm surge and waves."A dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore flow in the Hurricane Watch area," hurricane specialist John Cangialosi wrote in the center's advisory. "Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves."

Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from Beryl's center, the hurricane center said.

Additional Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches, and possibly warnings, will likely be issued for portions of the Windward and southern Leeward Islands later today, the center said.

Those living in the central and western Caribbean should monitor the system's progress, the center said, noting that there is uncertainty in the forecast.

The following is a statement from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley: