Storm Tracking: Hurricane Beryl, Tropical Storm Chris and Invest 96L

The Weather Authority has been tracking major Hurricane Beryl, Tropical Storm Chris and Invest 96L in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Beryl

Per the National Hurricane Center’s 11 p.m. Monday update, Hurricane Beryl is an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane with 160 mph sustained winds as it continues westward through the Caribbean Ocean.

This is the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin.

It made landfall as Category 4 hurricane on Caribbean island of Carriacou in Grenada around 2 p.m. Monday.

“The island of Carriacou was completely within the eye as it passed by,” said The Weather Authority Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt on X.

The eye of 150 mph Hurricane #Beryl crossing over Carriacou Island in the Windward Islands. Note the breaks within the eye where the sun is shining through. What a beast of a storm. @WINKNews pic.twitter.com/fJtCTZitGt — Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) July 1, 2024

This was a devastating storm for the Windward Islands, noted the NHC.

According to the Associated Press, NBC Radio in St. Vincent and the Grenadines said it received reports of roofs being torn off churches and schools as communications began collapsing across the southeast Caribbean.

“Jesus Christ!” a woman yells in a video that showed tin roofs flying through the air, reported the AP.

A continued quick westward to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days.

Earlier in the morning, the Weather Authority Meteorologist Zach Maloch said, “Hurricane Beryl has completed the eyewall replacement cycle and regained Category 4, major hurricane strength … Besides Beryl, only two other major hurricanes have impacted the islands south of Martinique since 1852: Allen in 1980 and Ivan in 2004.”

The most recent cone issued by NHC was at 11 p.m.

Fluctuations in strength are likely during the next day or so, but Beryl is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane as its core moves into the eastern Caribbean.

Some weakening is expected in the central Caribbean by midweek, though Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane.

Thanks to a blocking area of high pressure, Beryl and all of the impacts from Beryl will stay south of Southwest Florida.

Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt provided an update on X at 10:30 p.m. Monday:

#BERYL TRACK: Interesting trends recently with some models sure enough showing a weakness in the ridge of high pressure from an approaching trough this weekend into early next week. That would potentially allow for a turn more northwest or even north. If the ridge is stronger,… pic.twitter.com/yDOPoKjSM1 — Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) July 2, 2024

Tropical Storm Chris

According to The Weather Authority Meteorologist Zach Maloch, Tropical Storm Chris formed at around 11 p.m. on Sunday, impacting Mexico.

As of 10 a.m. Monday, the NHC was just tracking the remnants of Chris over mountainous Mexico.

The system was moving west-northwest at 7 mph with sustained wind speeds of 35 mph.

Maloch stated the storm had begun weakening at 5 a.m. after making landfall while moving west.

According to the NHC, heavy rainfall generated by the tropical storm is expected to flood portions of eastern Mexico.

Invest 96L

Showers and thunderstorms continue in association with an area of low pressure located about 1000 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands.

Environmental conditions appear conducive to the additional development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form by the middle of this week as it moves generally westward at 15 to 20 mph across the central and western tropical Atlantic.

Over the next seven days, there is a 50% chance of further development.

Maloch said, “This area of interest far out in the Atlantic has been given a high chance of development. Regardless, both that system and Beryl are heading through the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula while being impacted by wind sheer.”

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