Hurricane Beryl Update as Storm Continues to 'Defy Odds'

Hurricane Beryl's windspeeds have fallen to Category 3 levels after the storm intensified as it slammed into Jamaica on Wednesday.

Beryl strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday, becoming June's easternmost major hurricane in the Atlantic. The storm underwent rapid intensification and became a Category 4 hurricane as soon as its wind speeds reached 130 miles per hour. The system temporarily weakened to a Category 3 before strengthening again, with maximum winds documented at 150 mph when it made landfall in the Windward Islands on Monday morning.

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At one point, Hurricane Beryl was categorized as a Category 5, but it has since weakened again to a Category 3, with wind speeds at 120 mph. The storm has killed at least seven people, according to the Associated Press.

It also has continued to surprise meteorologists with its tenacity and strength, with one extreme storm chaser expressing concern that the storm was intensifying when its northern eyewall—a ring of thunderstorms that produce heavy rains and typically the strongest winds—slammed Jamaica on Wednesday.

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"Not good to see Category 4 Hurricane #Beryl intensifying as its northern eyewall slams the southern part of Jamaica," extreme storm chaser Colin McCarthy posted on X, formerly Twitter on Wednesday. "Beryl was expected to weaken due to wind shear, but has continued to defy the odds, with sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts to 175 mph."

Hurricane Beryl produced catastrophic damage on the Caribbean island of Carriacou on Monday, and AccuWeather lead hurricane forecaster Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that Jamaica had been expecting a similar onslaught from the storm. DaSilva added that the storm produced very heavy rainfall over Jamaica, which could contribute to mudslides.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) continues to sound the alarm about the storm's strength as it churns through the Atlantic Ocean. On Thursday morning, the NHC warned that Beryl is now approaching the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize, where hurricane-force winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rains are expected on Thursday night.

Beryl is the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and the second named storm. Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall in Mexico on the morning of June 20. Shortly after Beryl formed, the third named storm of the season—Tropical Storm Chris—formed quickly on Sunday night. Chris made landfall in Mexico on Sunday night, with wind speeds at around 40 mph. It has since dissolved.

Multiple agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have issued forecasts warning that 2024 will be an exceptionally strong year for hurricanes.

NOAA's forecast anticipates 17 to 25 named storms for an above-average hurricane season. Of the 25, eight to 13 will be hurricanes, and four to seven will be major hurricanes. The forecast number of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes is the highest NOAA has ever issued in a May outlook.

Several factors are contributing to this year's storm-heavy predictions, including abnormally warm sea surface temperatures and the expectation that El Nino will transition into La Nina by this summer or fall.