Category 4 Hurricane Beryl is expected to bring life-threatening winds and a storm surge to Jamaica today before moving towards the Cayman Islands tonight. As of early Wednesday morning, Beryl maintains winds of 145 mph, although satellite imagery indicates a slight weakening in its structure. The storm is projected to gradually weaken over the next couple of days but is likely to remain a major hurricane as it passes near Jamaica, with hurricane-force winds anticipated around midday.
Tropical-storm-force winds from Beryl extend up to 185 miles from its center and are set to impact Jamaica this morning. The island is also at risk of experiencing a storm surge of 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels, along with flash flooding and mudslides due to heavy rainfall expected to reach 4 to 8 inches, with localized amounts up to 12 inches.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. Beryl is currently affecting southern Hispaniola with tropical storm-force winds, up to 3 feet of storm surge, and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding and mudslides.
Furthermore, a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are in place for the south coast of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Anse d’Hainault. A hurricane watch has been issued for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from Chetumal to Cabo Catoche, with a tropical storm watch in effect for the coast of Belize from south of Chetumal to Belize City.
