Some travelers are rethinking their vacations. Others are moving forward.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Beryl is ravaging the Caribbean and already causing widespread damage. The first Category 5 hurricane on record has already claimed at least two lives.
The hurricane is also impacting summer vacation plans. Some people had planned Fourth of July trips to Jamaica, Playa Del Carmen and elsewhere for months. WCNC Charlotte’s Weather Impact Team predicts Beryl will hit Jamaica late Wednesday before hitting the Yucatan Peninsula Friday.
As the storm rages, Sarah Nivens and her family go with the flow.
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“We’ve been planning this since January and it’s something we’re looking forward to,” she said.
After her husband recently suffered a medical scare, Niven’s family was looking forward to a cruise. But Hurricane Beryl put a damper on some of their plans.
“Unfortunately, some ports of call have been canceled,” Niven said. “But we knew that was the case when you’re cruising in the summer. They’re keeping us safe and that’s the priority.”
Tuesday is shaping up to be the busiest time yet at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, with people telling WCNC Charlotte reporter Austin Walker they are still traveling to Jamaica and riding out the storm.
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Airlines have informed travelers about the storm and recommended they do so soon if they have to cancel their plans.
Nicole Terherst Amezcua’s family lives in Playa Del Carmen and she is scheduled to fly to join them on Wednesday. She said her father gave her an update on the weather.
“Things are blocked, some things are already cancelled,” she said. “Because the locals are not very trained, but they know the procedures well, they don’t seem as worried about these kinds of things.”
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
