Caribbean prepares for "extremely dangerous" hurricane "Beryl"
Strong hurricanes typically have a category 3 or higher ranking on the five-tier Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, bringing winds of at least 111 mph. According to experts, it is extremely rare for such a powerful storm to form so early in the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from early June to late November.
For Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a hurricane warning. For Martinique, Tobago, and Dominica, a tropical storm warning was in effect. In the capital city of Barbados, Bridgetown, supermarkets were filled with customers preparing for the purchase of food and water. Long lines were forming at gas stations. Some households were already boarding up their homes with plywood.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced at the end of May that it expected an "exceptional" hurricane season this year, with up to seven storms of category 3 or higher. The agency cited high temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and conditions related to the weather phenomenon La Niña in the Pacific as explanations. Due to human-induced climate change, extreme weather events such as hurricanes have been occurring more frequently in recent years and causing more damage.
- The alert for the potential Category 3 or higher hurricane, named "Beryl", has been raised by the National Hurricane Center for several Caribbean countries, including the USA's territory of the Virgin Islands and nations like Barbados and Antilles.
- Experts suggest that the early formation of such an intense storm in the Atlantic hurricane season, like "Beryl", is extremely rare, even during an anticipated exceptional hurricane season in the USA.
- In light of the hurricane warning, many residents in Barbados are taking precautions, like stocking up on essentials from supermarkets in Bridgetown and preparing their homes by boarding them up with plywood, anticipating the strong winds typical of a storm of "Beryl"'s caliber.
- The Atlantic Ocean, at present, is experiencing ideal conditions, fueling the potential for more extreme hurricanes like "Beryl", which have become increasingly frequent and damaging due to human-induced climate change.
