Hurricane Beryl is the first hurricane of the 2024 season.
The storm formed on Friday in the Atlantic Ocean and is the forerunner of what is predicated to be a busy hurricane season.
How Hurricanes Form
Hurricanes are furious storms that begin by sucking heat from the ocean.
The warm air within the storm rises and cools and forms clouds and thunderstorms. The clouds contain condensed water droplets which release even more heat to fuel the storm.
How Hurricanes Weaken
Hurricanes weaken and blow themselves out as soon as they move away from the warmth of the tropics where they were formed.
Since hurricanes are fuelled by warm air, as soon as they move northwards or across land, which is cooler than the sea, there is no more hot air to drive them and so they fall apart.
Storm Beryl is Unusually Early
Storm Beryl has formed unusually early in the season and is being watched carefully by weather experts.
The reason for Beryl’s early formation is higher than average ocean temperatures which mean that hurricanes can develop at faster rates. This is expected to continue throughout the season.
Where is Storm Beryl Now?
At the time of writing, Storm Beryl is hundreds of miles east southeast of Barbados.
The storm is moving west at 20 miles per hour and is expected to make landfall late on Sunday night.
The Impact of Storm Beryl
Storm Beryl is expected to cause a life threatening storm surge in the Windward islands.
There is likely to be heavy rainfall and destructive winds. Several Caribbean nations are under hurricane watches and warnings.
Will Storm Beryl Hit the US?
CBS weather producer, David Parkinson, says that any US impacts from the storm are at least eight days away.
The projected route of the storm currnetly shows that it will move south of Jamaica, although the westernmost edges of it may reach Mexico, Honduras and Belize.
What is a Hurricane?
To be called a hurricane, a storm must have winds of at least 74 miles per hour.
All hurricanes produce life threatening winds, but they are measured on a scale of how much damage they can potentially cause, with category 3 and above being a major hurricane that will cause catastrophic damage.
Origins of the Word Hurricane
The word “hurricane” comes from the indigenous word “Hurakan”.
A Hurakan is an evil spirit or a weather god, one of the ones that batters ships in the Caribbean.
How Hurricanes are Tracked
Hurricanes are tracked by using aircraft, radar, ships and buoys.
Whilst over the open ocean, satellites are the most useful tracking tool for hurricanes and can give accurate data which include the storm’s speed and other characteristics.
