Hurricane Beryl forms in the Atlantic, forecast to intensify into major storm: NHC

Hurricane Beryl forms in the Atlantic

Hurricane Beryl has officially become the first named hurricane of the season with 75 mph as it moves through the Atlantic.

Hurricane Beryl formed in the Atlantic Saturday, becoming the second named storm of the 2024 hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the Windward islands either late Sunday night or early Monday bringing destructive hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge, the NHC said.

The latest track shows Hurricane Beryl intensifying into a category two hurricane by Sunday at 2 p.m. before becoming a category storm early Monday.

Tracking Hurricane Beryl: Latest Forecast track

As of 5 p.m. Hurricane Beryl is located about 720 miles east-southeast of Barbados and is moving at about 22 mph with maximum wind gusts of 75 mph. A hurricane warning is now in effect for Barbados, while a hurricane watch is in effect for St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, and Grenada.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Martinique, Dominica, and Tobago.

The NHC is expecting Hurricane Beryl to make a relatively quick westward to west-northwestward motion over the next couple of days and the center of Beryl moves across the Windward Islands late Sunday night or Monday.

Hurricane Beryl impacts

"Life-threatening storm surge is expected to raise water levels as much as five to seven feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore flow near where Beryl makes landfall in the hurricane watch and warning areas," said the NHC.

Beryl is also expected to produce three to six inches of rain across Barbados and the Windward Islands Sunday night into Monday.

Hurricane Beryl has made history as the farthest-east hurricane that has ever formed in the month of June, FOX 35 Storm Team Meterologist Noah Bergren said. "The storm is also forecast to be the third major hurricane ever to strike Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent.

Hurricane Beryl spaghetti model

2024 Atlantic hurricane storm names and pronunciations

Pronunciation Guide:

Alberto al-BAIR toe
Beryl BEHR-ril
Chris kris
Debby DEH-bee
Ernesto er-NES-toh
Francine fran-SEEN
Gordon GOR-duhn
Helene heh-LEEN
Isaac EYE-zik
Joyce joyss
Kirk kurk Leslie
LEHZ-lee
Milton MIL-ton
Nadine nay-DEEN
Oscar AHS-kur
Patty PAT-ee
Rafael rah-fah-ELL
Sara SAIR-uh
Tony TOH-nee
Valerie VAH-lur-ee
William WILL-yum

2024 hurricane predictions: Active season

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration anticipates between 17 and 25 named storms will form this season, with 8 to 13 becoming hurricanes with winds of at least 74 mph. Out of those 8 to 13, 4 to 7 could become major hurricanes with winds of at least 115 mph. This is the greatest number of hurricanes predicted by NOAA in its annual May forecast, surpassing the forecast of 14–23 storms in 2010.

In all, NOAA gives an 85% chance of an above-average season.

The outlook is fairly similar to Colorado State University’s, which also issued its busiest outlook ever, with the potential for upwards of 23 named storms.

"The Atlantic is still record warm in the tropical Atlantic, providing more fuel for storms," Dr. Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist at CSU, told FOX Weather before its outlook release.