Tropical Storm Beryl is barreling toward the Caribbean islands as fears rise it could strengthen into a Category 3 major hurricane as an expected busy storm season gets started.
The storm strengthened over the eastern Atlantic Ocean through Saturday, packing winds of over 60 mph, as it made its way westward toward the Windward Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center.
It is expected to reach the islands of Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada and the Grenadines late Sunday night or Monday and bring flooding rain, storm surges and damaging winds.
The storm was set to pass by Barbados first and bring flash flooding and power outages Saturday night.
“We need to be ready,” Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address Friday. “It is better to plan for the worst and pray for the best.”
quick pace, according to the National Hurricane Center. NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES-East / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hurricane watches are in effect for much of the region with more watches likely as Beryl lands in the Caribbean, AccuWeather meteorologists predict.
The cyclone will become a hurricane once winds reach 74 mph, which is expected to occur later Saturday.
Jamaica and the Yucatán Peninsula — southeast Mexico and portions of Belize and Guatemala — should also be on alert, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys told The Post.
“It’s more about being prepared for what may come within the next week,” Roys said.