Hurricane Beryl will bring “devastating hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge and damaging waves” to Jamaica on Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Much of the same is expected to hit the Cayman Islands beginning early Thursday morning.
The NHC additionally reports that life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides are possible in Jamaica and Haiti. The storm currently has maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a Category 4 hurricane. After passing by Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane upon approach to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Belize. Following, the NHC says, “there remains uncertainty in the track and intensity forecast of Beryl” as is passes over the western Gulf of Mexico. Areas in northeastern Mexico and southeastern Texas should monitor the storm.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands; a hurricane watch is in place for parts of Haiti and the Yucatan; a tropical storm warning has been issued for southwestern Dominican Republic; and parts of northern Belize are on tropical storm watch, according to Weather.com.
In Jamaica, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Ian Fleming International Airport near Ocho Rios all closed Tuesday night and will be closed through at least Wednesday. The Jamaica Tourist Board says that reopening times will be announced following an assessment on Thursday.
The Cayman Islands Airports Authority adds that Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman will cease operations at 6 p.m. Wednesday, while Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac will cease operations at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
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