Note: Where is Hurricane Beryl now? See the latest information from Thursday.
Hurricane Beryl is approaching Jamaica as a dangerous hurricane with 145-mph winds — and South Texas now resides in the cone of uncertainty of what’s to come.
The National Hurricane Center projects that Beryl’s core will pass near or just south of Jamaica later today. But where it goes after it travels farther west and how strong it will be when it gets there remain unknown.
“There is still significant uncertainty in the long-term track forecast, as numerical models showing stronger storms in the Gulf of Mexico are generally on the northern side of the guidance envelope and weaker storms on the southern side,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
However, the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi said on Wednesday afternoon that “it is looking more likely that Beryl will make landfall across far northeast Mexico or the South Texas Coast” as a Category 1 hurricane early next week. Authorities still advise to prepare for the event as if it’s a Category 2 storm.
Hurricane Beryl tracker: Maps show storm’s projected path as it heads toward South Texas
On Monday, Beryl made landfall in Grenada’s Carriacou Island as a Category 4, ravaging the southern Caribbean Islands, flattening hundreds buildings and causing the deaths of at least six people. Later Monday night, Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record. Driven by record hot ocean temperatures, Beryl’s rapid strengthening has stunned experts.
Since developing late last week, Beryl was also the the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record − before dropping to Category 3 on Monday − and is the first June major hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles on record.
AccuWeather forecasters warn chances increasing Beryl could directly impact portion of Texas coast
Beryl will continue to track slightly north of west in the short term, according to Naples Daily News. However, the influence of high pressure to the north over the southern U.S. is likely to waver, bringing the uncertainty of exactly where Beryl will go.
In recent days, Beryl’s wind field has increased, extending up to 185 miles from the center and bringing South Texas — from Brownsville to Corpus Christi — into the edge of the storm’s impact.
“From Panama City, to New Orleans, there is a low risk of direct impacts from Beryl, but from about Corpus Christi to Brownsville, Texas, the risk increases significantly due to the potential for Beryl to have more direct impacts,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.
“That southern portion of the Texas coast is the zone we have to really watch,” he added.
NHC warns Texas coast to prepare for potential impacts of Hurricane Beryl over the Fourth of July weekend
The National Hurricane Center provided an update on YouTube Tuesday morning, urging those along the Texas coast to prepare for potential impacts from Hurricane Beryl this weekend.
Whether the Texas coast takes a direct hit or not, Texas will begin to feel the impacts of the storm, according to the Weather Channel. If Texas did take a direct hit, that would occur early Monday.
“Regardless of the exact track, an increase in dangerous rip currents and tidal runup along the coast is expected over the Holiday Weekend,” NWS Corpus Christi said in a release. “Seas will begin to increase as well, leading to extremely dangerous swimming conditions. Any outer rainbands may be capable of producing wind gusts at, or above tropical storm force and an isolated tornado will be possible.”
These conditions would be most prominent Sunday through Monday, although tropical-storm force winds are possible in South Texas as early as Saturday evening.
See spaghetti models for Hurricane Beryl
Hurricane storm tracker: See active storms in the Atlantic
Texas weather watches and warnings
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Hurricane Beryl is more likely to hit Texas. See projected path
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