The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center shows that Beryl will keep moving westward into the Caribbean Sea. There, it might encounter warm water and good wind conditions, which could make it grow stronger into a Category 2 hurricane. If it continues on its current path, Beryl could reach Jamaica by late Wednesday, and South Florida should keep an eye on it in the next week.
As of the 8 a.m. Saturday update, Beryl was approximately 975 miles away from Barbados. It was moving quickly westward at 21 mph, with maximum sustained winds of about 60 mph.
As of Saturday morning, Barbados was still under a hurricane watch.
If Beryl becomes a hurricane on Sunday, it would be the furthest east that a June hurricane has ever formed based on historical records. The only other June hurricane nearby was in 1933.
By Tuesday, the hurricane center mentioned that conditions might change. A strong subtropical ridge, which is expected to keep the storm closer to the equator, could weaken, allowing Beryl to move towards higher latitudes. This change could also bring more wind shear to the area, which might weaken the storm back to a Category 1 hurricane.
Following closely behind Beryl, meteorologists at the hurricane centers are also monitoring another system. This one is a tropical wave located hundreds of miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands. There's an increasing chance that it could develop into a tropical depression or storm within the next week.
As of the 8 a.m. update, forecasters said there is a 20% chance that it will become stronger over the next seven days.
SOURCE: Miami Herald