Hurricane Beryl intensified again into a Category 4 hurricane on Monday morning and remains “extremely dangerous” as it closes in on the Windward Islands in the Caribbean, where it’s expected to unleash potentially catastrophic wind damage and life-threatening storm surge as residents across the region rush to prepare and seek shelter from the monster storm.
Hurricane Beryl became the second named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and made history while the storm rapidly intensified from a tropical depression to tropical storm and then a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) in less than 48 hours.
St. Lucia implements nationwide shutdown ahead of Hurricane Beryl
For those who live in the region, the weekend was spent preparing for the storm’s onslaught by placing coverings on windows of homes, filling up gas tanks and picking up last-minute supplies after it became clear that Hurricane Beryl would continue to strengthen as it approached island nations like Barbados and St. Lucia, where Hurricane Warnings remain in place.
The office of St. Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said all residents should remain indoors until the all clear is given after a nationwide shutdown was implemented ahead of Hurricane Beryl.
Hospitals and wellness centers on the island activated emergency plans, shelters have been opened for residents, and police and fire departments are on high alert and stand ready to respond to emergencies should any arise during the hurricane.
The prime minister’s office also said utility crews would be out across the island in full force once Hurricane Beryl moves out of the region.
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Barbados braces for Beryl by closing schools, airports
Residents of Barbados have been preparing for the impact of Hurricane Beryl since the end of last week.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley took to social media on Friday and then again Sunday to urge her constituents to take the necessary actions to protect themselves from the storm.
While the worst of Hurricane Beryl is no longer expected to hit the island, it could still have a devastating impact.
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“We still need to be extremely vigilant,” Mottley said Sunday night. “You can tell that there’s bad weather in the atmosphere.”
The Barbados Light and Power Company said it did not plan to shut down electricity ahead of the storm, but emergency procedures were in place.
“Our protection systems are designed to automatically trip any circuits impacted by the hurricane,” the company said. “Additionally, our teams will be in control centers throughout the night, monitoring systems.”
The island has also opened dozens of shelters for residents if needed, and Mottley asked residents to stock up on food and water.
“We expect that the system will affect us, but we give thanks that we do not believe that it will be the worst of the hurricane-force winds, but still tropical storm winds,” Mottley said Sunday night. “And we’ve seen what tropical storms have done to us in the past. Both in terms of loss of property, loss of roofs and loss of other infrastructure.”
While power wasn’t expected to be shut down ahead of Hurricane Beryl, the island shut down the water system in preparation for the storm.
The Barbados Water Authority said the shutdown of the water system was precautionary to protect the critical infrastructure.
Schools have also been closed across Barbados, and Grantly Adams International Airport closed at 7 p.m. Sunday. The facility will remain closed until further notice.
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Where is Hurricane Beryl?
As of the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Beryl was about 70 miles east of Grenada and about 90 miles south-southeast of St. Vincent.
Hurricane Beryl has maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and a minimum central pressure of 959 millibars, making it a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Hurricane-force winds (74-plus mph) extend outward up to 35 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds (39-plus mph) extend outward up to 125 miles.
On Beryl’s forecast trajectory, the storm’s center is expected to move across the Windward Islands later Monday morning and then across the southeastern and central Caribbean later Monday through Wednesday.
Hurricane conditions are expected within the Hurricane Warning area starting early Monday morning.
