Beryl intensifies on its way to the Caribbean: Warn of potential hurricane for Sunday

Tropical storm Beryl continues to intensify as it moves towards the Caribbean and could become a hurricane on Sunday.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its Tropical Storm Advisory #4, warning of Beryl's rapid strengthening; it details that it is expected to become a major hurricane before reaching the Leeward Islands (east of the Caribbean Sea).

It is likely that the storm will bring destructive hurricane-force winds and potentially deadly storm surges to parts of the Leeward Islands on Sunday night or Monday. Hurricane alerts have been issued for much of the Leeward Islands," the note specifies.

The NHC has warned that the phenomenon is expected to bring heavy rain, hurricane-force winds, storm surges, and dangerous waves, and advises monitoring its progress in the central and western Caribbean.

In Cuba, the meteorologist Raydel Ruisanchez stated that Beryl now has maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h and will continue to move quickly to the west to reach the Caribbean on Monday.

"The conditions are favorable for Beryl to continue strengthening rapidly," he said on Facebook.

At this moment, a hurricane watch is already in effect for the small island of Barbados, where Beryl could arrive as a Category 2 hurricane.

This Saturday, it is located about 1,570 km (975 miles) east-southeast of the country and was moving west at 33 km/h (21 mph), with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h (60 mph).

Beryl, the second tropical depression of the current hurricane season, reached tropical storm status on Friday.

The Forecast Center of the Cuban Meteorology Institute (INSMET) issued a second advisory at 11:00 pm alerting about the formation of Tropical Storm Beryl, the second of the season following the formation of Alberto in mid-June.

Tropical Depression Two showed signs of improved organization in its circulation, as well as an increase in the areas of heavy rain near its center, so it was determined to have become Tropical Storm Beryl," stated the INSMET.

At that time, the tropical storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h, with higher gusts and a central minimum pressure of 1006 hectopascals.