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First hurricane of the season in the Atlantic intensifies

"Beryl" had developed into the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic. It has now strengthened further. There is a threat of life-threatening storm surges on some Caribbean islands.

,   and  Alex Stellmacher
3 min read
The satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows hurricane...
The satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows hurricane "Beryl".

Storm - First hurricane of the season in the Atlantic intensifies

The first hurricane of the Atlantic season has intensified into a Category 4 storm. With wind speeds of currently 215 kilometers per hour, "Beryl" has developed into an "extremely dangerous hurricane," according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Sunday. "Life-threatening winds and storm surges" are expected in parts of the Windward Islands - a part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean - for early Monday (local time).

For the islands of Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Tobago, a hurricane warning is in effect. "Beryl" had developed from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane as early as Saturday (local time).

The center of the hurricane is currently 565 kilometers east of Barbados. The NOAA had already assumed in its last statement that "Beryl" would become a Category 4 hurricane before it reaches the Windward Islands.

Hurricane season could be above average

The hurricane season over the Atlantic is expected to be above average in intensity this year, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Reasons for this include unusually high water temperatures in the Atlantic and the anticipated onset of "La Niña," a phase of cooler water temperatures in the Pacific.

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean water. The increasing Earth temperature significantly increases the likelihood of strong storms. A hurricane is defined as a storm with wind speeds of 119 kilometers per hour or more. The hurricane season begins in the Pacific on May 15 and in the Atlantic on June 1. It ends in both regions on November 30.

The strength of hurricanes is measured according to a scale developed by meteorologists Herbert Saffir and Robert Simpson: A Category 1 hurricane reaches wind speeds of up to 153 kilometers per hour. Category 2 applies up to 177 kilometers per hour, Category 3 up to 208 kilometers per hour, and Category 4 up to 251 kilometers per hour. Catastrophic damage threatens from a Category 5 hurricane, which rotates with wind speeds of more than 251 kilometers per hour. Hurricanes often gain strength as they move over the sea but lose power quickly over land due to the lack of a supply of warm, moist air masses.

  1. The NOAA's prediction of an above-average Atlantic hurricane season has been underscored by the intensification of Hurricane "Beryl" into a Category 4 storm.
  2. Grenada, a Caribbean island within the Windward Islands, is under a hurricane warning due to the approaching Category 4 storm, "Beryl."
  3. The hurricane season in the Caribbean Sea, which includes the islands of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is expected to be more active this year, as suggested by the NOAA's forecast.
  4. The Hurricane Season over the Atlantic, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is predicted to be more intense than usual, with reasons such as high water temperatures in the Atlantic and the apparent onset of "La Niña" in the Pacific.
  5. Saint Lucia, one of the islands in the Windward Islands, falls under the hurricane warning issued due to the dangerous hurricane, "Beryl."
  6. The Atlantic Hurricane Season, stretching from June 1 to November 30, has seen its first major storm in "Beryl," a Category 4 hurricane with winds reaching 215 kilometers per hour.
  7. Irrespective of its category, every hurricane, such as "Beryl," poses a significant threat to islands like Barbados and Tobago, located in the Eastern Caribbean and the Lesser Antilles, respectively.
  8. The Pacific Hurricane Season also begins on May 15 and ends on November 30, with both regions experiencing an active and a potentially devastating hurricane season this year, as forecasted by the NOAA.
  9. The NOAA's latest statement regarding Hurricane "Beryl" anticipated its transformation into a Category 4 storm, validating the prediction of an above-average hurricane season in the Atlantic.
  10. As the hurricane season progresses, islands in the Atlantic, such as Grenada and Barbados, should remain alert to future tropical storms, like "Beryl," that might pose a threat to their people and infrastructure.

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