Hurricane Beryl formed as a tropical storm Saturday night in the North Atlantic. It has been breaking records ever since.
From Axios
Its formation so far east, in what's known as the "Main Development Region" of the tropical Atlantic, this early in the season broke a record first set in 1933.
It also became the first major hurricane at such an eastern location so early in the season.
Hurricane Beryl is now the earliest Category 4 storm to form anywhere in the Atlantic Ocean, beating the old record by more than a week.
It is also the strongest June Atlantic hurricane on record.
It's the second named storm and first hurricane in what is expected to be an extremely active season, and an unsettling omen for forecasters who are used to seeing the first Atlantic major hurricane form in August or early September.
Axios
Beryl is currently heading towards the Windward Islands as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm and is forecast to cause "[p]otentially catastrophic hurricane-force winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and damaging waves," according to the National Weather Service.
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted a busy North Atlantic Hurricane season for 2024. Atlantic Ocean temperatures, the emergence of La Niña conditions in the Pacific, diminished Atlantic trade winds, and decreased wind shear are contributing factors.
NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 4 to 7 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). Forecasters have a 70% confidence in these ranges.
NOAA
Previously: Camera on dock captured the insane power of Hurricane Ida
