In an unprecedented meteorological event, Hurricane Beryl has become the earliest category five storm on record, escalating the risk of significant damage and loss due to its remarkable wind velocity and potential for sea surges. The south-eastern Caribbean is particularly in jeopardy as increasing water temperatures act as a catalyst for more destructive weather patterns.
Forecasts anticipate Beryl will unleash lethal winds and surge storms in Jamaica before escalating towards the Cayman Islands. Mexico’s Weather Service has responded to the threat, issuing a hurricane warning for the Yucatán peninsula coastal stretch between Puerto Costa Maya and Cancún ahead of Beryl’s anticipated arrival later in the week.
Already, Beryl has struck Carriacou, an island within the boundary of Grenada, as well as St Vincent and the Grenadines, leaving a trail of substantial damage and a growing death toll. Simon Stiell, the leader of UN’s climate change unit from Carriacou, laments his homeland has been severely “hit by Hurricane Beryl.”
Stiell, highlighting the escalation of meteorological disasters due to climate crisis, called for countries to urgently prioritise proactive plans to combat global warming. He stressed that climate crisis is creating severe weather events previously only found in science fiction, and is affecting economies at a global level.
The US National Hurricane Center reported Beryl having winds of up to 157mph (252km/h) at peak intensity, before moderating slightly to 145mph. This slight decrease led to Beryl being reclassified as a category four storm, nevertheless, it remains a major hurricane capable of causing significant harm.
The hurricane centre expects some weakening over the next couple of days, but Beryl still poses a severe threat to Jamaica on Wednesday, and the Cayman Islands on Wednesday night, where it’s predicted to be at or close to major hurricane intensity.
The Alliance of Small Island States, an organisation representing approximately 40 countries susceptible to sea-level rise across the Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea, emphasised the need for funding to manage the impacts of climate change.
Aosis chair Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Dr Pa’olelei Luteru said the full extent of the catastrophe caused by the hurricane is yet to be determined. However, he confirmed substantial losses such as the destruction of homes, loss of sanctuary, and obliteration of historical record, underlining the immediate and destructive impact of climate change.
In May, the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced an 85% increased likelihood of a heightened hurricane season in the Atlantic for the year. NOAA anticipates between 17 to 25 storms, which would bring wind speeds exceeding 39mph this season. The agency projected that eight to 13 of these disturbances could escalate into hurricanes, with wind speeds reaching beyond 74mph.
NOAA attributed the uptick in storm activity to a combination of factors promoting the formation of tropical storms. These include unparalleled sea temperatures, the forecasted shift towards the routine La Niña weather pattern in the Pacific, and a decline in Atlantic trade winds. The weakened trade winds as a result created a conducive environment for hurricanes to gain intensity undisturbed by powerful wind shear.
The agency alerted that human-induced climate change is causing ocean warming on a global scale, specifically in the Atlantic basin, and triggering ice on land to melt. This leads to a rise in sea level, subsequently heightening the threat of storm surges.
Beryl, the second named storm in the Atlantic this season after Alberto in June, is predicted to forge a north-west trajectory across the south-west Gulf of Mexico by the end of the week, imposing further impacts on local communities and economies in the area. – Permission courtesy of The Financial Times Limited 2024.