Hurricane Beryl is expected to continue to bring heavy rain, “life-threatening” winds and flooding to parts of the Caribbean this week. Forecasters warn it could remain at least a tropical storm as it heads toward Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center reported in an update Tuesday morning that the storm, which is still a Category 5 and is currently in the Caribbean Sea about 300 miles southeast of the Dominican Republic, had sustained winds of nearly 165 mph, making it the strongest hurricane ever recorded, beating out Emily in 2015.
According to the NHC, Beryl’s forecasted westward track over the Caribbean has been slightly deflected northward, but the storm’s ultimate path is uncertain for the next 72 hours. Very wide spread is currently forecast as the storm moves toward the Gulf of Mexico.
The NHC said the storm could weaken as it moves across Jamaica and could strengthen into a tropical storm or a strong hurricane as it approaches Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
“I encourage all Jamaicans to treat the hurricane as a serious threat,” the Jamaican prime minister said. Andrew Holness warned.
Jamaica upgraded its advisory from a warning to a hurricane watch, and Holness urged people to seek higher, safer ground. He also warned that emergency services would not be able to operate during the peak of the hurricane conditions.
Much of the Caribbean is now bracing for significant impact and damage this week. Jamaica remains under a hurricane warning, with heavy rain and flooding likely on Wednesday.
The storm surge in Jamaica could reach 90 to 150 centimeters (3 to 5 feet) above normal tide levels, with some places dropping up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of rain.
So far, two deaths have been reported from the storm, one in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and one in Grenada.
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for southern Hispaniola, the island nation made up of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, while a hurricane warning is in effect for the Cayman Islands, which are expected to be hit by the storm on Thursday.
Beryl is the first Category 4 or higher hurricane to form in June and the earliest Category 4 storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
