Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane when it hits the Windward Islands as early as Sunday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Beryl, the second named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, will bring a risk of heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds and dangerous storm surge and waves, NHC says.
NHC forecasters have declared a Hurricane Watch for Barbados with additional warnings and watches likely for portions of the Windward and southern Leeward Islands Saturday evening.
Tropical Storm Beryl officially formed in the Atlantic Ocean Friday evening, according to the hurricane center. Forecasters have been tracking the system since Wednesday morning.
The system has been producing widespread showers and thunderstorms hundreds of miles away from the Cabo Verde Islands for days. It got stronger and more organized by Friday morning, when it was located around 1,500 miles away from the Windward Islands.
NHC forecasters predicted that the tropical storm will develop while moving westward and approaching the Lesser Antilles.
This week, plumes of Saharan dust, often referred to as the "Saharan Dust Layer," from the northern coast of Africa have been drifting over the Atlantic Ocean.
As of Friday morning, the dust is moving westward with Beryl, NHC forecaster Mike Efferson said. Tropical systems may "struggle to intensify," according to Efferson, considering the air is dry and dusty, rather than warm and moist.
Tropical Storm Alberto
The first named storm, Tropical Storm Alberto, developed in the Gulf of Mexico hundreds of miles away from Brownsville, Texas, last Wednesday after stirring in the Bay of Campeche for days.
Northeast Mexico and south Texas braced for landfall impacts, including heavy rain, storm surge and flooding. Southeast Louisiana faced some loosely related impacts from Alberto, including rainfall, gusty winds and flash flooding.
Last week, high waters were spotted in Lafourche Parish on La. Highway 1 between Golden Meadow and Grand Isle.
Other tropical disturbances
NHC forecasters have been tracking two other tropical disturbances in the Gulf and the Atlantic this week.
A tropical wave formed on Friday morning and is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles away from the Cabo Verde Islands. NHC forecasters said that some slow development is possible next week as it travels over central and tropic Atlantic.
Since Monday morning, another tropical disturbance has been producing widespread showers and thunderstorms over the western Caribbean Sea. The system could strengthen this weekend as it approaches the Bay of Campeche.
An active hurricane season
Hurricane researchers and scientists predict that this year's hurricane season will be one of the busiest in modern history due to the return of La Niña and warm temperatures in the Atlantic.
In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that there could be 17-25 named storms, 8-13 hurricanes and 4-7 major hurricanes of Category 3 and above.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
