A woman walks as snow falls during a storm in New York City on January 19, 2024, but several parts of the country were getting pummelled by blizzard conditions
Representative image AFP

Tropical Storm Beryl is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane as it approaches the Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is expected to become a hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands, which include Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Martinique.

According to NBC News, Beryl is currently situated about 820 miles east-southeast of Barbados, with maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, moving west at 23 miles per hour.

National Hurricane Center forecasters predict that when Beryl reaches the Windward Islands, located west of Barbados, it will bring "hurricane-force" winds, "life-threatening" storm surge, and heavy rainfall.

Beryl is the second named storm of the season, following Tropical Storm Alberto, which made landfall in northeast Mexico on June 20. The heavy rains from Alberto resulted in the deaths of four people.

Barbados' meteorological service has warned of potential power outages and flash flooding as the hurricane's eye is expected to pass about 26 miles (45 km) south of the island.

The storm is projected to deliver up to six inches (15 cm) of rain to Caribbean islands, including Barbados. From Sunday into Monday, Barbados and the Windward Islands could receive 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, which may lead to flooding in some regions.

In the 2023 hurricane season there were 19 named storms.

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