Earlier than ever before: "Beryl" is the first hurricane of the season to reach the highest category
It is the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic. No hurricane of the highest category 5 has been recorded this early in the year in the Atlantic as "Beryl".
Before its intensification, the storm hit the Grenadian island of Carriacou. "Carriacou was flattened within half an hour," said Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell at a press conference. So far, no fatalities have been reported, but this could still change.
"We are not over it yet," emphasized the Prime Minister. Later, he announced on online networks that his government was making efforts to bring relief supplies to Carriacou and the island of Petite Martinique. "The state of emergency continues. Stay inside," Mitchell declared on Facebook.
According to the NHC, "Beryl" caused "catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surges" on neighboring islands such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Jamaica expects the storm to arrive on Wednesday and issued a hurricane warning. According to the NHC, the popular tourist area of the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan is also threatened.
Extreme weather events such as hurricanes have become more frequent in recent years due to climate change and have caused greater damage. The US 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 storm initially made landfall on Carriacou, an island belonging to Grenada, before heading towards other Caribbean regions.
- Despite "Beryl" being the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, it did not reach the highest category 5, a fact that was also true for any hurricane recorded so early in the year.
- The hurricane warning issued by Jamaica indicated that the storm was expected to reach their shores on a specific day, potentially posing a threat to the USA, specifically the popular tourist area of the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan.
- Accurate forecasts and early warnings have become crucial in mitigating the impact of Atlantic hurricane seasons, which have been impacted by climate change and seen an increase in frequency and severity.
- This Atlantic hurricane season, predicted to be "exceptional" by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), could potentially see up to seven storms reaching category 3 or higher.
