Hurricane Beryl intensifies into category 5 storm with wind speed 270 KM, Poses major threat in Caribbean

Beryl is now a top-ranked category 5 hurricane as it heads towards Jamaica with sustained to nearly 270 km per hour, according to WMO’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre Miami, which is operated by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The WMO warned that it is a life-threatening winds, storm surge and floods.

Earlier, Beryl hit the southern Windward Islands at Category 4 strength on 1 July, with maximum sustained winds of near 140 mph (220 km/h).

” It made a direct hit on Grenada and had major impacts on St Vincent and Grenadines. These are small islands with little experience in coping with a major hurricane” said the agency.

Fluctuations in strength are likely during the next day or so, but Beryl is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane as its core moves into the eastern Caribbean.

Some weakening is expected in the central Caribbean by midweek, though Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane, according to NHC.

The NHC warned of potentially catastrophic wind damage at the core of Beryl. Hurricane conditions are possible in Jamaica by Wednesday.

NHC is warning that storm surge will increase water levels by 3 – 5 feet above normal tide levels in Jamaica, with rainfall totals of 4 – 8 inches and locally up to 12 inches.

It said this rainfall may cause flash flooding in vulnerable areas.

“It takes just one land-falling hurricane to set back years of socio-economic development. For example Hurricane Maria in 2017 cost Dominica 800% of its Gross Domestic Product,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

“This is why WMO and its partners have prioritized early warning action in small islands under the international Early Warnings For All initiative,” so Ko Barrett, who coordinates WMO’s contribution to the UN Secretary-General’s initiative.

“We need to be especially vigilant this year due to near-record ocean heat in the region where Atlantic hurricanes form and the shift to La Niña conditions, which together create the conditions for increased storm formulation,” said Ko Barrett.