Beryl weakens to a tropical storm

HURRICANE CENTER: Latest Beryl path, forecast, more

Tropical Storm Beryl is moving quickly to the west north west.  Beryl's current position is about 21 miles east of Martinique.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Dominique and Guadeloupe.

Remnants of Beryl will move near or south of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Monday.

Beryl weakens to a tropical storm and is expected to weaken as it moves into the Carribean.

Tropical depression #3 could become Chris today or tomorrow but is expected to remain offshore.

A slightly weaker Beryl remains in a weak-shear environment today, but will encounter a hostile environment starting tomorrow.  That will result in weakening Sunday onward.

The forecast has Beryl near hurricane-strength when it approaches te Lesser Antilles Sunday night.

Beryl's very small size is increasing uncertainty in the immediate forecast with rapid changes in intensity possible during the next day or two.

Hurricane Beryl remained a Category 1 storm Friday afternoon as warnings continued to be issued for the Caribbean Islands in its path.

Beryl is the strongest July hurricane in the tropical section of the Atlantic Ocean since Bertha in 2008.

The hurricane gained strength Friday morning and was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of nearly 80 mph (130 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to pass near Dominica and the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique late Sunday or Monday.

Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane as it passes south of Puerto Rico and not dissipate until it is located south of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Forecasters said the storm is expected to dump heavy rain across islands including Dominica and Puerto Rico, which could also be hit with winds of more than to 40 mph (64 kph) and flooding.

Guadeloupe, Martinique and Barbados are in the path of a hurricane once again. Hurricane Maria went through the same area in 2017.

Beryl became the first hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season 5 a.m. Friday. The average first hurricane in the Atlantic basin is August 10 (1966-2009).

“Hurricane Beryl's small eye has become apparent in infrared satellite pictures early this morning,” the NHC tweeted Friday.

Beryl has a small window of potential further strengthening before it moves into a more unfavorable environment as it approaches the Lesser Antilles and the Caribbean Sea.

Cox Media Group