Tropical Storm Beryl becomes major hurricane forecast to bring life-threatening conditions to the Caribbean

Tropical Storm Beryl has become a major hurricane forecast to bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to the Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane is headed towards the Windward Islands, which include Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Martinique. As of Saturday evening, Beryl is about 720 miles east-southeast of Barbados with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. It’s moving west at 22 miles per hour.

“A relatively quick westward to west-northwestward motion is expected during the next few days,” the National Hurricane Center said in an update Saturday evening. “On the forecast track, the center of Beryl is expected to move across the Windward Islands late Sunday night and Monday.”

A hurricane warning is in effect for Barbados while hurricane watches have been issued for Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, where hurricane conditions are possible Sunday night or Monday morning, per the National Hurricane Center. Tropical storm watches are in effect for Martinique, Dominica and Tobago, where storm conditions are likely by Monday morning.

“Devastating wind damage is expected where the eyewall of Beryl moves through portions of the Windward Islands,” the hurricane center said.

Life-threatening storm surges may raise water levels by 5 to 7 feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane watch areas and bring destructive waves to the coast.

A total of 3 to 6 inches of rainfall is possible across Barbados and the Windward Islands Sunday into Monday, which may cause flooding in some areas. North of Beryl, one to four inches of rain are possible in parts of southeastern Puerto Rico Monday night into Tuesday.

Additional warnings and watches are possible for the region later Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.