After lashing Jamaica with strong winds and heavy rains that killed at least 11 people in the region, Hurricane Beryl remained at major hurricane strength as it moved past the Cayman Islands and toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday.
Beryl’s center is expected to pass the Cayman Islands Thursday afternoon and bring “strong winds, dangerous storm surge and destructive surf” to the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula early Friday, according to an 11 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. Beryl was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane early Thursday and had winds of 115 mph as it lay about 95 miles west-southwest of Grand Cayman — the largest of the Cayman Islands.
Beryl is expected to dump up to a half-foot of rain on the Cayman Islands on Thursday and up to 10 inches in some areas of the Yucatan Peninsula, potentially causing flash flooding.
The storm surge could raise water levels along the immediate coast of the Cayman Islands by up to 2 to 4 feet and up to 3 to 5 feet on the eastern coast of the Yucatan, bringing with it “large and destructive waves.”
Weather officials warned that Beryl could bring strong waves and currents along the coasts of Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands. The currents could spread to the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Central America later Thursday, then to eastern Mexico and much of the U.S. Gulf Coast by Friday night.
As hurricane conditions ease in the Cayman Islands, winds are expected to reach tropical storm force in the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, making it difficult to stay outside given dangerous conditions expected to arrive later in the day or early Friday, the hurricane center said.
A hurricane warning has been issued for the Cayman Islands and the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun, including Cozumel, the hurricane center said. A tropical storm watch is also in effect for much of the coast of Belize.
Authorities have confirmed that at least nine people have been killed in Grenada, Venezuela and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Reuters reported. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told CNN on Thursday that two deaths had been recorded in the country due to Hurricane Beryl.
Drone images:As Hurricane Beryl ravages the Caribbean, drone captures stunning footage
Developments:
∎ The death toll from Beryl rose to at least 11 on Thursday, but authorities said the death toll was expected to rise as communications are restored on islands that have been damaged by flooding and high winds.
∎ Nerissa Gittens-McMillan, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, warned of possible food shortages after 50% of the plantain and banana crops were lost in the storm.
∎ Forecasters warned that strong rip currents could develop along much of the Gulf Coast over the weekend. Surf conditions are likely to become dangerous along the southern Texas coast.
∎ As Beryl approaches Mexico, Tulum International Airport, officially known as Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport or Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum, will close from 2 p.m. Thursday to noon Sunday, according to the airport’s website.
Will Hurricane Beryl Hit Texas?
Parts of South Texas are now within the projected cone of Hurricane Beryl, which forecasters say could make landfall in the state over the weekend or early Monday.
But forecasters remain uncertain about what Beryl will do and how strong it will be as it approaches the Gulf Coast after hitting Mexico: “Great uncertainty remains regarding the track and intensity of Beryl,” the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
“From Panama City, Florida, to New Orleans, the risk of direct impact from Beryl is low, but from Corpus Christi to Brownsville, Texas, the risk increases significantly due to the potential for direct impacts from Beryl,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. “That southern portion of the Texas coast is where we really need to watch.”
Coastal threats could begin this weekend, according to Weather.com: “Well ahead of Beryl, offshore winds could bring increased surf, rip currents and coastal flooding along parts of the Gulf Coast from eastern Mexico to Texas and western Louisiana, beginning Saturday and continuing until just after Beryl’s final landfall.” The rip current threat could extend further east along the northern Gulf Coast.
Brennan said Tuesday: “People along the Texas coast, as we head into the holiday weekend, you’re going to want to make sure you check the forecast and prepare for any potential impacts. If we were to see tropical storm conditions impact those areas in the far western Gulf of Mexico, that could happen sometime Saturday.”
Hurricane Beryl Tracking:Storm heads towards Jamaica and Cayman Islands
Hurricane Beryl threatens the Yucatan Peninsula
Beryl is forecast to gradually weaken over the next two days; however, it is still expected to be at or near hurricane intensity as it passes near the Cayman Islands on Thursday and heads toward the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday night.
A hurricane warning and a tropical storm warning remain in effect for parts of the Yucatan Peninsula coast. The Mexican government has raised its tropical storm warning from Progreso to Campeche, the hurricane center said.
The hurricane center warned that Beryl is expected to make landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula as early as Thursday night. In addition to heavy rain and wind, forecasters said dangerous flooding from storm surges would threaten coastal areas.
“Widespread power outages and flash flooding are expected across the region,” according to AccuWeather.
Jamaica faces ‘catastrophic’ aftermath of Hurricane Beryl
Power outages have occurred in Jamaica after Beryl made landfall on the island’s southern coast on Wednesday. The hurricane hit Jamaica as a Category 4 storm, bringing damaging winds and rain.
At least one person was killed in Jamaica’s Hanover Parish after a tree fell on his home, according to Richard Thompson, acting director general of Jamaica’s disaster management agency. About 1,000 residents were in shelters Wednesday night, Thompson said.
Emergency crews evacuated people from flood zones and airports were closed after Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared an island-wide curfew for Wednesday.
“We are concerned about the extensive damage and potentially catastrophic consequences in Jamaica,” said Bernie Rayno, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist. “Flooding could last for days or even weeks. Widespread power outages are expected. Beryl will likely damage many homes and businesses and cause severe coastal flooding.”
Some Caribbean Islands Report Significant Damage After Beryl
At least three islands reported more than 90 percent of homes and buildings destroyed or severely damaged, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency reported Wednesday. All three are in the Grenadines archipelago, where Beryl swept into the Caribbean at the southern end of the Windward Islands, between St. Vincent and Grenada.
With 19 participating states across the Caribbean, the agency helped coordinate disaster response in Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines while continuing to track Beryl’s movements across Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Belize.
Damage estimates from Beryl’s passage on the island of Carriacou in the Gulf of Wind are only a “very preliminary look,” said Elizabeth Riley, executive director of the disaster management agency. Beryl hit the islands with sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and higher gusts on Monday, and the National Hurricane Center had warned that winds could be up to 30 percent stronger on hilltops and mountains.
The impact on the Grenadines is “quite significant,” Riley said, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable. Just as relief efforts were beginning, a tropical wave brought rain and gusty winds to suffering residents Wednesday.
Contribution from Reuters
