Tropical Storm Beryl chugged toward the southeast Caribbean on Saturday as forecasters warned it was expected to strengthen into a dangerous major hurricane before reaching Barbados late Sunday.
A major hurricane is considered Category 3 or higher when it has winds of at least 178 kilometers per hour (111 miles per hour). Hurricane watches were in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, while a tropical storm watch was issued for Martinique and Tobago.
Beryl's center is forecast to pass about 45 kilometers (26 miles) south of Barbados, said Sabu Best, director of the island's meteorological service's director.
On Saturday, Beryl was located about 1,320 kilometers (820 miles) east-southeast of Barbados, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph (65 mph). It was moving west at 37 kph (23 mph).
“Rapid strengthening is now forecast,” the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
Warm waters are fueling Beryl, with ocean heat content in the deep Atlantic the highest on record for this time of year, according to Brian McNoldy, University of Miami tropical meteorology researcher.
Beryl is the strongest June tropical storm on record that far east in the tropical Atlantic, noted Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University hurricane researcher.
“We need to be ready,” Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address late Friday. “You and I know when these things happen, it is better to plan for the worst and pray for the best.”
She noted that thousands of people are in Barbados for the Twenty20 World Cup cricket final, with India and South Africa playing in the capital, Bridgetown, on Saturday.
Beryl is the second named storm in what is predicted to be a busy hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic. Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Alberto came ashore in northeast Mexico with heavy rains that resulted in four deaths.
