Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Carriacou Island, part of Grenada, as a Category 4 storm at 11:10 am local time on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center, a milestone for the first official hurricane of an expected record-breaking season.
Maximum sustained winds have reached 150 mph, up from 130 mph, according to the NHC’s latest advisory on Monday morning.
Hurricane Beryl isn’t expected to make landfall in the U.S., according to Accuweather, though they still warned residents to be prepared.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
Hurricane Beryl is the earliest category 4 storm recorded in the Atlantic, multiple outlets reported Monday. The storm beat Hurricane Dennis, which held the title after becoming the earliest category 4 storm on record on July 8, 2005, according to the Associated Press.
Earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted the busiest Atlantic hurricane season in its history, predicting between 17 and 25 named storms will form. The first named storm of the season, Tropical Storm Alberto, made landfall in Mexico in mid-June, causing at least three deaths. Scientists blame increasingly severe weather events across the globe—which have included hurricanes as well as record-breaking rain in Florida and brutal heat waves—on human-caused climate change. Climate change causes ocean temperatures to rise, potentially leading to more severe hurricanes as higher temperatures mean more energy, and higher sea levels linked to climate change can also cause worsened flooding from storm surges. La Niña, a weather pattern causing high ocean surface temperatures, could also contribute to this year’s hurricane season.
Government Forecasters Issue Most Dire Hurricane Season Prediction In Their History—Here’s Why (Forbes)
How is climate change affecting hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones? (BBC)
La Niña Could Bring Record-Breaking Heat To The U.S. This Summer—What To Know (Forbes)