By Belize Live News Staff: The Atlantic is gearing up for an early storm season with a tropical wave expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Beryl within the next day. This development comes earlier than usual, as the Atlantic typically doesn’t see consecutive tropical waves rolling off the African coast until the peak of the season.
As of Friday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center gave the initial wave a 100% chance of strengthening, with the system projected to approach the Windward Islands by Sunday. Residents have been warned to prepare, and tropical watches and warnings could be issued as early as Friday evening.
The storm’s path beyond the Windward Islands is uncertain. Global weather models suggest the system could move west through the Caribbean until Wednesday, then potentially head north as a stronger storm or continue towards Mexico and Central America if weaker.
This system is forming south of a Saharan Dust cloud, in an area of warmer-than-average water. Hot sea surface temperatures fuel storms, and the Atlantic is abundant in these conditions this year, prompting NOAA to predict a higher-than-usual number of storms.
Another disturbance is trailing behind the first, staying in the same dust-free, warm water lane. While there’s currently no chance of it strengthening in the next two days, there’s a 30% chance of it forming a tropical depression or storm within the next week.
Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.
