Hurricane Beryl, now earliest Cat 5 storm on record

• Beryl formed farther east than any other June hurricane since the mid-1800s, when record-keeping began.
• It moved from tropical depression status into a Category 3 hurricane in less than 48 hours, something that’s never happened before earlier than September (since record-keeping began).
• Overall, Hurricane Beryl became the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record for June, beating out Hurricane Audrey in 1957.

The Atlantic Basin usually doesn’t see its first major hurricane until around September 1. But, as its wind gusted to 160 mph overnight last night (July 1, 2024), Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record. Experts say Beryl has been super-charged by warm seas.

And, as of Tuesday morning, July 2, Beryl was continuing its westward sweep through the Atlantic Basin. AP reported:

Hurricane Beryl strengthened to Category 5 status late Monday after it ripped doors, windows and roofs off homes across the southeastern Caribbean with devastating winds and storm surge fueled by the Atlantic’s record warmth.

Beryl made landfall on the island of Carriacou in Grenada as the earliest Category 4 storm in the Atlantic, then late in the day the National Hurricane Center in Miami said its winds had increased to Category 5 strength. Fluctuations in strength, and later a significant weakening, were forecast as the storm pushes further into the Caribbean in the coming days.

Beryl is headed toward the east coast of Mexico. If it continues on its current course, it should make another landfall on Sunday morning.

Beryl in social media

There have been 24 Atlantic storms in the Satellite Era (1966-present) which have gone through a >70kt rapid intensification within a 36-hour period. (Min start of 35kt)

All of those storms originally formed in Aug, Sep, Oct, or Nov.

Until Beryl.#Beryl is doing this in June.

— Steve Bowen (@SteveBowenWx) June 30, 2024

New: #Beryl is now a cat 5. Earliest cat 5 on record, beating Emily 2005 by 2 full weeks. Warmer water = higher octane fuel. Ocean heat content is now normal for late Aug-early Sept. https://t.co/SF3MBGZ5UN pic.twitter.com/PxqJhjKsXu

— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) July 2, 2024

Zooming in to Category 5 Hurricane #Beryl which is fortunately forecast to weaken before striking land again. https://t.co/qGdHTcDE3G pic.twitter.com/zxDZBHFziR

— UW-Madison CIMSS (@UWCIMSS) July 2, 2024

Category 5 Hurricane Beryl is now up to 165 MPH this morning, This is moving WNW at 22 MPH. Those in jamaica need to get there preps to completion today as things should start going down hill overnight. pic.twitter.com/ZqOrMaQ2QM

— Alan Snyder (@AlanSevere) July 2, 2024

After #Beryl impacts the Yucatan Thursday night and Friday, hopefully as a weaker hurricane, more and more guidance starts to turn it north once it reemerges over the Bay of Campeche on Saturday. Even though some guidance has Beryl a TS at this point, some keeps it as a… pic.twitter.com/wI5rXrlKqt

— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) July 2, 2024

Bottom line: Hurricane Beryl had gusts of up to 160 mph last night, giving it Category 5 hurricane status and making it the earliest Category 5 storm on record.

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