Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc in Jamaica overnight as a Category 4 storm, causing devastation by tearing roofs off buildings and resulting in at least seven fatalities in the southeast Caribbean.
The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Beryl to a Category 3 storm, but it is expected to pass through the Cayman Islands early Thursday morning before heading towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, bringing strong winds, extensive flooding, and a dangerous storm surge. The Cayman Islands could face storm surges of 2 to 4 feet above normal, while parts of the Yucatan Peninsula may experience storm surges of 4 to 6 feet.
As of Wednesday night, Beryl had sustained winds of 130 mph, a decrease from its peak intensity of 165 mph on Tuesday.
National Hurricane Center
“Strong winds, dangerous storm surge, damaging waves, and areas of flooding are expected to occur in the Cayman Islands today where a Hurricane Warning remains in effect,” the National Hurricane Center said in a statement. “Hurricane-force winds, dangerous storm surge, and heavy rainfall are expected over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize beginning tonight as Beryl approaches that area as a hurricane.”
Officials in Mexico have issued a hurricane warning for the coast from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun in anticipation of the storm’s arrival. Forecasters are uncertain about Beryl’s intensity and track in the upcoming days, as wind shear is expected to weaken the storm, but various forecast models disagree on the extent of this effect.
Beryl is the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and has rapidly intensified due to warm ocean waters, becoming the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record.
