Brits travelling to the Caribbean for their summer holidays have been warned of life-threatening weather conditions this week as hurricane season begins with a record-breaking storm.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its advice for several of the countries in the region, including Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia and Grenada, as Hurricane Beryl approaches the islands. The first named hurricane of the season has been described by forecasters as “extremely dangerous”, and is expected to develop into a Category Four storm.
This means that Beryl is predicted to bring winds of up to 155mph, with the National Weather Service warning that hurricanes in this second-highest category bring “catastrophic damage”. Homes are expected to lose their roofs and some exterior walls in the severe storm, while fallen trees and power poles are likely to lead to power outages which could last weeks or months and isolate residential areas.
The FCDO advised in an update at the weekend: “Weather projections forecast a major hurricane to hit the region possibly as early as Sunday, June 30 and into the following week. You should follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Center and follow the advice of local authorities, including any evacuation orders.”
Hurricane season runs from June to November in the Northern Hemisphere Tropics, including the Caribbean, when the sea is at its warmest, as the tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises. The Met Office said that Hurricane Beryl has become the first Atlantic hurricane on record to reach Category 4 this early in the season, with landfall over the Windward Islands, including Dominica, Grenada, Martinique and Saint Lucia, expected on Monday, July 1.
Airports, transport networks or hotels may shut down if a hurricane approaches, the FCDO said, with holidaymakers urged to stay up to date with the latest weather forecasts and advice from their travel provider, as well as making sure they have appropriate travel insurance. Tourists should also find out more about local procedures, such as the location of any shelters.
Those living in the Caribbean have been preparing for the arrival of Beryl over the weekend by boarding up their homes, queueing for fuel at filling stations and stockpiling supplies and water, the BBC reports. In an address to the nation on Saturday night, the prime minister of Barbados urged residents to look out for their friends, family and neighbours when the hurricane lands.