Hurricane Beryl intensifies to category 5 storm as it moves towards Jamaica after landfall: Live updates

Hurricane Beryl has intensified to category 5 storm after making landfall in the Windward Islands as it churned towards Jamaica.

The hurricane was located about 840miles (1,355km) east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, packing maximum sustained winds of 160mph (260km/h), the National Hurricane Centre said.

As the earliest-ever category 4 hurricane, Beryl brought deadly conditions to the Grenadine Islands, Carriacou Island and Grenada on Monday, killing at least one person.

Officials received “widespread reports of destruction and devastation in Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” Grenada prime minister Dickon Mitchell said.

“In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened.”

Mr Mitchell said he could not provide information on injuries or deaths as of Monday afternoon.

A computer model of Hurricane Beryl’s many possible paths, known as a “spaghetti” model, showed the path the destructive storm could take as it moved towards the southeastern US.

The model showed the storm potentially blowing into the Gulf Coast, near eastern Texas and Louisiana. However, meteorologists will not be able to make a definitive call about Hurricane Beryl’s potential impact on the US until it is much closer.

Key Points

  • Hurricane Beryl intensifies to ‘potentially catastrophic’ category 5 storm

  • Mapped: Hurricane Beryl’s path

  • Hurricane Beryl fueled by warm ocean temperatures amid climate crisis

  • Hurricane Beryl brings ‘catastrophic’ winds and ‘life-threatening’ conditions to several islands

  • Hurricane Beryl to move towards Yucatan Peninsula this week

Life-threatening Hurricane Beryl seen from space as Jamaica braces for Category 5 impact

08:00 , Stuti Mishra

Life-threatening Hurricane Beryl seen from space as Caribbean braces for impact

Hurricane Beryl beats several records

07:30 , Stuti Mishra

Beryl was named the earliest-ever Category 4 hurricane as it approached the eastern Caribbean over the weekend. Hurricane Beryl is also the first major hurricane to reach east of the Lesser Antilles in June.

Meanwhile, record-high ocean temperatures helped the storm grow from a tropical depression to Category 4 over the weekend.

Waves hit a pier in Bridgetown, Barbados as Hurricane Beryl blows through on Monday (AP)
Waves hit a pier in Bridgetown, Barbados as Hurricane Beryl blows through on Monday (AP)

Hurricane Beryl 'still intensifying' as Jamaica under warning

07:17 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricane Beryl, a category 5 storm, is "still intensifying", the National Hurricane Centre said in its latest advisory.

The storm is expected to bring "life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica" with the island put under hurricane warning.

Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are possible in portions of Jamaica on Wednesday.

A tropical storm warning is also in effect in Hispaniola.

Arrival time of tropical force winds (NHC)
Arrival time of tropical force winds (NHC)

In pictures: Hurricane Beryl wreaks havoc on Bridgetown, Barbados

06:30 , Stuti Mishra

Cars drive through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Cars drive through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Collapsed scaffolding hangs off a building Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Collapsed scaffolding hangs off a building Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
A woman walks through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
A woman walks through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)

One dead in Grenada as Hurricane Beryl 'flattens' Carriacou

06:00 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricane Beryl brought deadly conditions to the Grenadine Islands, Carriacou Island and Grenada on Monday, killing at least one person.

Grenada's prime minister Dickon Mitchell said one person had died and he could not yet say if there were other fatalities.

"We do hope there aren't any other fatalities or any injuries," he said. "But bear in mind the challenge we have in Carriacou and Petite Martinique."

Authorities have not yet been able to assess the situation on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, where there were initial reports of major damage but communications were largely down, he said.

Mr Mitchel added that the government will send people first thing on Tuesday morning to evaluate the situation on the islands.

Beryl made landfall in the Windward Islands as a category 4 storm, the earliest storm on record to reach that intensity.

Officials say they received “widespread reports of destruction".

Streets from St. Lucia island south to Grenada were strewn with shoes, trees, downed power lines and other debris.

“In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened," Mr Mitchell said.

Damaged outdoor furniture is seen in a flooded area after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Oistins gardens, Christ Church, Barbados (AFP via Getty Images)
Damaged outdoor furniture is seen in a flooded area after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Oistins gardens, Christ Church, Barbados (AFP via Getty Images)
A flooded parking lot is seen after the passing of Hurricane Beryl in Worthing, Christ Church, Barbados (AFP via Getty Images)
A flooded parking lot is seen after the passing of Hurricane Beryl in Worthing, Christ Church, Barbados (AFP via Getty Images)

Hurricane Beryl intensifies to 'potentially catastrophic' category 5 as it heads towards Jamaica

05:17 , Stuti Mishra

Hurricane Beryl intensified to a category 5 storm after making landfall in the Windward Islands as it churned towards Jamaica.

The hurricane was located about 840miles (1,355km) east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, packing maximum sustained winds of 160mph (260km/h), the National Hurricane Centre said.

Beryl is now only the second storm on record to reach the intensity of category 5 in July, after Emily did so in 2005.

The storm is expected to remain a major hurricane as it moves through the Caribbean.

“Fluctuations in strength are likely during the next day or so, but Beryl is expected to still be near major hurricane intensity as it moves into the central Caribbean and passes near Jamaica on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Centre said.

See it: Major airport hit with delays, cancelations during Hurricane Beryl

05:01 , Katie Hawkinson

Flights were delayed and canceled at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago as Hurricane Beryl raged through the eastern Caribbean, leaving travelers stranded on Monday afternoon.

People line up at a counter in the Piarco international Airport as flights are canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
People line up at a counter in the Piarco international Airport as flights are canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
Travelers wait at the Piarco International Airport as flights are delayed and canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
Travelers wait at the Piarco International Airport as flights are delayed and canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)

Watch as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in the southeast Caribbean

04:00 , Katie Hawkinson

See it: Mesovortices spin in the eye of Hurricane Beryl

03:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Computer models show one possible path for Hurricane Beryl hitting US

02:00 , Katie Hawkinson

A computer model of Hurricane Beryl’s many possible paths, known as a “spaghetti” model, shows the destructive Category 4 storm could hit the southeastern US in the coming days.

The model shows the storm potentially blowing into the Gulf Coast, near eastern Texas and Louisiana. However, meteorologists will not be able to make a definitive call about Hurricane Beryl’s potential impact on the US until it is much closer. This could take several days.

Residents in the Gulf Coast region should check with their local National Weather Service office for up-to-date weather information.

A “spaghetti model” of Hurricane Beryl, showing the various possible paths the storm could take in the coming days. One path, highlighted in pink, shows the storm blowing into the Gulf Coast near Texas and Louisiana (tropicaltidbits.com)
A “spaghetti model” of Hurricane Beryl, showing the various possible paths the storm could take in the coming days. One path, highlighted in pink, shows the storm blowing into the Gulf Coast near Texas and Louisiana (tropicaltidbits.com)

Hurricane Beryl ‘even stronger’ as it moves Caribbean

01:31 , Graeme Massie

NOAA hurricane hunters said that the hurricane is moving “quickly across the southeastern Caribbean” in its 8pm EST update on Monday.

Beryl is moving WNW at 21mph, with top speeds of up to 155mph.

Hurricane warning issued for Jamaica as NOAA gives latest details on Beryl

01:11 , Graeme Massie

The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica as Beryl continues to barrel across the Caribbean.

The warning came in the 8pm update on the storm.

Latest on Hurricane Beryl (NOAA)
Latest on Hurricane Beryl (NOAA)

Watch: Hurricane Beryl brings a storm surge, causing waves to batter southern Barbados

01:00 , Katie Hawkinson

X labeled AccuWeather’s Hurricane Beryl map as misinformation. Meteorologists worry it could cost lives

Tuesday 2 July 2024 00:00 , Katie Hawkinson

AccuWeather meteorologists say X labeled their projected Hurricane Beryl path as “false information” but allowed other obvious misinformation on the site - a decision that could cost lives.

On Thursday, AccuWeather posted a forecast for the eastern Caribbean system that would become Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning as a Category 4 storm. “1st hurricane of 2024 may track through the Caribbean next week,” the post said, accompanied by a map charting the storm’s path.

AccuWeather has a team of 100 meteorologists who rely on data from NOAA, NASA, the National Hurricane Center and the World Meteorological Organization to inform their forecasts.

The forecasting company beat every other agency by almost 30 hours with a prediction nearly identical to the National Hurricane Center’s, according to John Porter, senior vice president and chief meteorologist for AccuWeather.

However, X users labeled it with a community note.

Read more:

Hurricane Beryl update: AccuWeather says X is allowing misinformation on site

Hurricane Beryl fueled by warm ocean temperatures amid climate crisis

Monday 1 July 2024 23:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Record-warm ocean temperatures gave Hurricane Beryl the strength to grow from a tropical depression to a Category 4 storm in a matter of days.

“Beryl is rewriting the history books in all the wrong ways,” Eric Blake, senior hurricane specialist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said.

While natural weather patterns like La Nina can help drive catastrophic storms, the human-driven climate crisis still plays a role, as oceans absorb more than 90 percent of excess heat produced by greenhouse gases.

High water temperatures can contribute to sea level rise and hurt marine life in addition to fueling strong storms like Hurricane Beryl. Ocean temperatures will likely continue to rise even if we curb greenhouse gas emissions, according to NOAA.

Hurricane Beryl will travel through the Caribbean Sea towards the Yucatan Peninsula this week.

Officials received “widespread reports of destruction and devastation in Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” after the hurricane made landfall on Monday, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said.

“In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened,” Mitchell continued.

Carriacou Island ‘flattened’ by Hurricane Beryl

Monday 1 July 2024 22:27 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Carriacou Island this morning, bringing heavy destruction to the eastern Caribbean.

Officials received “widespread reports of destruction and devastation in Carriacou and Petite Martinique,” Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said on Monday. “In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened.”

“You have to appreciate the ferocity and the strength of the hurricane and therefore we are not yet out of the woods,” he continued. “And we are not able to say for sure that no one has been injured or there has been no loss of life as a result of the hurricane.”

The Category 4 storm is set to head west this week and could maintain its strength as it travels, the National Weather Service forecasts.

In pictures: Hurricane Beryl wreaks havoc on Bridgetown, Barbados

Monday 1 July 2024 21:37 , Katie Hawkinson

Cars drive through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Cars drive through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
A woman walks through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
A woman walks through a debris-filled street in Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Collapsed scaffolding hangs off a building Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)
Collapsed scaffolding hangs off a building Bridgetown, Barbados after Hurricane Beryl blew through the island (REUTERS)

Watch: Hurricane Beryl brings a storm surge, causing waves to batter southern Barbados

Monday 1 July 2024 21:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane warning ends in Barbados

Monday 1 July 2024 20:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Barbados is no longer under a hurricane warning as Beryl moves through the Windward Islands.

The National Weather Service has now placed Jamaica under a hurricane watch, while Martinique and St. Lucia are under tropical storm warnings.

Watch: Hurricane Beryl batters Caribbean homes as Category 4 storm makes landfall

Monday 1 July 2024 20:15 , Katie Hawkinson

Watch: Hurricane Beryl batters Caribbean homes as Category 4 storm makes landfall

Hurricane Beryl beats records over weekend

Monday 1 July 2024 20:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Beryl was named the earliest-ever Category 4 hurricane as it approached the eastern Caribbean over the weekend. Hurricane Beryl is also the first major hurricane to reach this far east in the month of June.

Meanwhile, record-high ocean temperatures helped the storm grow from a tropical depression to Category 4 over the weekend.

The life-threatening storm made landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning, bringing 150mph winds as it rages across the Windward Islands.

Beryl “is rewriting the history books in all the wrong ways,” said Eric Blake, senior hurricane specialist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

See it: Major airport hit with delays, cancelations amid Hurricane Beryl

Monday 1 July 2024 19:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Flights are being delayed and canceled at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago as Hurricane Beryl rages through the eastern Caribbean, leaving travelers stranded.

People line up at a counter in the Piarco international Airport as flights are canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
People line up at a counter in the Piarco international Airport as flights are canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
Travelers wait at the Piarco International Airport as flights are delayed and canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)
Travelers wait at the Piarco International Airport as flights are delayed and canceled because of Hurricane Beryl (REUTERS)

Video: Caribbean braces for record-breaking Hurricane Beryl

Monday 1 July 2024 19:12 , Katie Hawkinson

World Cup-winning Indian cricket team stranded in Barbados as Hurricane Beryl barrels in

Monday 1 July 2024 18:48 , Katie Hawkinson

The Indian men’s cricket team, which celebrated their win at the T20 World Cup 2024 final on Saturday, are stuck in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl.

Read more from The Independent’s Shahana Yasmin:

Hurricane Beryl strands World Cup-winning Indian cricket team in Barbados

Hurricane Beryl fueled by warm ocean temperatures amid climate crisis

Monday 1 July 2024 18:37 , Katie Hawkinson

Record-warm ocean temperatures gave Hurricane Beryl the strength to grow from a tropical depression to a Category 4 storm in a matter of days.

“Beryl is rewriting the history books in all the wrong ways,” Eric Blake, senior hurricane specialist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said.

While natural weather patterns like La Nina can help drive catastrophic storms, the human-driven climate crisis still plays a role, as oceans absorb more than 90 percent of excess heat produced by greenhouse gases.

High water temperatures can contribute to sea level rise and hurt marine life in addition to fueling strong storms like Hurricane Beryl. Ocean temperatures will likely continue to rise even if we curb greenhouse gas emissions, according to NOAA.

See it: Mesovortices spin in the eye of Hurricane Beryl

Monday 1 July 2024 18:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl approaches threshold for Category 5, meteorologist says

Monday 1 July 2024 18:15 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl is approaching Category 5 status as it brings 150 mph winds and a storm surge of nine feet to the Windward Islands, meteorologist Matthew Cappucci said.

The storm made landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning. Now, Hurricane Beryl is blowing through several islands in the eastern Caribbean, bringing “life-threatening” conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

Watch: Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in the southeast Caribbean

Monday 1 July 2024 18:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl to move towards Yucatan Peninsula this week

Monday 1 July 2024 17:45 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl will move east towards the Yucatan Peninsula over the next several days, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said on Monday morning.

The storm has the potential to remain a powerful hurricane as it travels across the Caribbean Sea, Brennan said.

The Windward Islands will face life-threatening conditions from the storm until Monday evening.

A map from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Beryl’s path to the eastern Caribbean on Monday (National Weather Service)
A map from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Beryl’s path to the eastern Caribbean on Monday (National Weather Service)

SEE IT: Lightning flashes in Hurricane Beryl’s eye wall

Monday 1 July 2024 17:34 , Katie Hawkinson

Video: Hurricane Beryl brings storm surge to southern Barbados coast

Monday 1 July 2024 17:15 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl brought a dangerous storm surge — that is, a rise in sea levels — to the southern Barbados coast on Monday morning.

The Category 4 hurricane then made landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning, bringing 150 mph sustained winds.

Hurricane Beryl brings ‘catastrophic’ winds and ‘life-threatening’ conditions to several islands

Monday 1 July 2024 16:58 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl is bringing catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surge to the Grenadine Islands, Carriacou Island and Grenada, the National Weather Service said.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds increased to 150 mph earlier this morning as it made landfall on Carriacou Island.

In pictures: Hurricane Beryl brings ‘life-threatening’ winds and flooding

Monday 1 July 2024 16:44 , Katie Hawkinson

Waves hit wind-swept palm trees as Hurricane Beryl hits Hastings, Barbados on Monday (AP)
Waves hit wind-swept palm trees as Hurricane Beryl hits Hastings, Barbados on Monday (AP)
Hurricane Beryl floods a street in Hastings, Barbados on Monday (AP)
Hurricane Beryl floods a street in Hastings, Barbados on Monday (AP)
Waves hit a pier in Bridgetown, Barbados as Hurricane Beryl blows through on Monday (AP)
Waves hit a pier in Bridgetown, Barbados as Hurricane Beryl blows through on Monday (AP)

Satellite imagery shows Hurricane Beryl making landfall

Monday 1 July 2024 16:35 , Katie Hawkinson

Satellite imagery shows Hurricane Beryl making landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning, bringing 150 mph sustained winds (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Satellite imagery shows Hurricane Beryl making landfall on Carriacou Island late Monday morning, bringing 150 mph sustained winds (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Life-threatening Hurricane Beryl seen from space as Caribbean braces for Category 4 impact

Monday 1 July 2024 16:05 , Katie Hawkinson

Life-threatening Hurricane Beryl seen from space as Caribbean braces for impact

Hurricane Beryl beats several records

Monday 1 July 2024 15:52 , Katie Hawkinson

Beryl was named the earliest-ever Category 4 hurricane as it approached the eastern Caribbean over the weekend. Hurricane Beryl is also the first major hurricane to reach this far east in the month of June.

Meanwhile, record-high ocean temperatures helped the storm grow from a tropical depression to Category 4 over the weekend.

The life-threatening storm is expected to make landfall within the next hour.

“Residents in the Grenadine Islands and Carriacou Island should not leave their shelter as winds will rapidly increase within the eyewall of Beryl,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions and do not venture out in the eye of the storm.”

Hurricane Beryl making landfall within next two hours

Monday 1 July 2024 15:36 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl is approaching the Windward Islands and will make landfall within the next hour or two, the National Hurricane Center said.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the National Hurricane Center posted. “Take action now to protect your life!”

Residents of the Grenadine Islands and Carriacou Island should stay inside as winds rapidly increase, according to the center.

Hurricane Beryl fueled by warm ocean temperatures amid climate crisis

Monday 1 July 2024 15:25 , Katie Hawkinson

Record-warm ocean temperatures gave Hurricane Beryl the strength to grow from a tropical depression to a Category 4 storm in a matter of days.

“Beryl is rewriting the history books in all the wrong ways,” Eric Blake, senior hurricane specialist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said.

The human-driven climate crisis plays a role in these rising temperatures. Oceans absorb more than 90 percent of excess heat produced by greenhouse gases, according to NOAA.

High ocean temperatures, in addition to fueling storms like Hurricane Beryl, can contribute to sea level rise and hurt marine life.

Ocean temperatures will likely continue to rise even if we curb greenhouse gas emissions, according to NOAA.

In pictures: Communities brace for Hurricane Beryl

Monday 1 July 2024 15:09 , Katie Hawkinson

Communities in the eastern Caribbean rushed to complete preparations this weekend as Hurricane Beryl grew from a tropical depression to a Category 4 in a few days.

People shop for supplies in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday as Hurricane Beryl races towards the eastern Caribbean (REUTERS)
People shop for supplies in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday as Hurricane Beryl races towards the eastern Caribbean (REUTERS)
A man drills wood onto a door as Hurricane Beryl approaches in Calliaqua, St Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday (AP)
A man drills wood onto a door as Hurricane Beryl approaches in Calliaqua, St Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday (AP)
Workers place sandbags in front of doors to prepare for Hurricane Beryl in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday (AFP via Getty Images)
Workers place sandbags in front of doors to prepare for Hurricane Beryl in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday (AFP via Getty Images)

Mapped: Hurricane Beryl’s path

Monday 1 July 2024 14:58 , Katie Hawkinson

Hurricane Beryl, now strengthened to Category 4, is set to bring “potentially catastrophic hurricane-force winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and damaging waves” to the Windward Islands this morning.

The hurricane is set to move west throughout the week.

A map from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Beryl’s path to the eastern Caribbean on Monday (National Weather Service)
A map from the National Weather Service shows Hurricane Beryl’s path to the eastern Caribbean on Monday (National Weather Service)