Tropical Cyclone Beryl is forecast to become an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane when it reaches the Windward Islands early Monday, bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge to the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.
The Windward Islands include Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Martinique. As of Sunday morning, Beryl was about 465 miles east-southeast of Barbados, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. It is moving west at 20 mph.
The center of Beryl is expected to move across the Windward Islands on Sunday night and Monday, the agency said.
According to the National Hurricane Center, a hurricane warning is in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, where hurricane conditions are expected starting Sunday night. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Martinique and Tobago, which may experience tropical storm conditions beginning Sunday night, and a tropical storm watch is in effect for Dominica, which may experience tropical storm conditions Sunday night.
“Catastrophic wind damage is expected as Beryl’s eyewall moves through parts of the Windward Islands,” the hurricane center said.
Life-threatening storm surges can raise water levels 5 to 7 feet above normal tide levels in hurricane watch areas and bring destructive waves ashore.
A total of 3 to 6 inches of rain is expected Sunday through Monday across Barbados and the Windward Islands, causing flooding in some areas. North of Beryl, parts of southeastern Puerto Rico could get 1 to 4 inches of rain Monday night into Tuesday.
Additional warnings and watches are possible for the region late Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.
