Hurricane Beryl Strengthens to Category 4 in Caribbean

ABC News: Hurricane Beryl Becomes Earliest Category 4 Storm in Atlantic History
(BRIDGETOWN, Barbados) — Hurricane Beryl has intensified into a major Category 4 storm, making history as the earliest such hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles in June. Previously, Hurricane Dennis held the record, reaching Category 4 on July 7, 2005. Beryl is the earliest Category 3 storm in the Atlantic since 1966.
The hurricane, located a few hundred miles east of the Windward Islands, is moving west with 130 mph winds. It is expected to pass just south of Barbados by Monday morning, bringing 3 to 6 inches of rain and a storm surge of 6 to 9 feet. The storm could reach Jamaica by Wednesday, posing life-threatening conditions, though its exact path remains uncertain.
A potential tropical cyclone following Beryl may also hit Barbados on the same day Beryl targets Jamaica. There’s a chance Beryl or its remnants could reach southern Texas by next weekend, delivering heavy rainfall.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a record-high hurricane forecast for this season, predicting 17 to 25 named storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes, and 4 to 7 major hurricanes, all above the averages.
Researchers attribute the increase in hurricane activity to climate change, which is warming ocean surface temperatures and fueling more powerful storms with extreme precipitation.
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