Beryl becomes a Category 4 hurricane, the earliest on record

Hurricane Beryl rapidly intensified into a category four hurricane, the earliest category four hurricane on record. It is also the strongest June hurricane any place in the Atlantic, based on record dating back to 1851.

At 11:35 a.m. the eye of Hurricane Beryl was located near latitude 10.7 North, longitude 54.9 West. Beryl is moving toward the west near 21 mph.

Maximum sustained winds are estimated to be 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts. Beryl is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A reconnaissance aircraft has found Beryl now an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

A continued quick westward to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of Beryl is expected to move across the Windward Islands Monday morning and across the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea late Monday through Wednesday.

The minimum central pressure based on data from the NOAA and Air Force Hurricane Hunters is 962 MB.

RAINFALL: Hurricane Beryl is expected to produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches across Barbados and the Windward Islands through Monday. Localized maxima of 10 inches is possible, especially in the Grenadines. This rainfall may cause flash flooding in vulnerable areas.

SURF: A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore flow near where the eye makes landfall in the hurricane warning area. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

(msn.com)