Puerto Rico braces for indirect impacts as Hurricane Beryl pummels Carriacou

According to a recent projected trajectory, the closest approach of the center would be 241 miles to the southwest of Cabo Rojo.

The dangerous and extremely powerful Hurricane Beryl made landfall Monday on the Caribbean island of Carriacou after becoming the earliest storm of Category 4 strength to form in the Atlantic, fueled by record warm waters.

Just shy of a Category 5 storm, the hurricane blew off roofs, uprooted trees, and caused other damage on Carriacou, one of the islands of Grenada, and elsewhere in the southeast Caribbean.

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“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the National Hurricane Center said.

Puerto Rico is outside Beryl’s cone of uncertainty, but starting Monday afternoon, the hurricane’s indirect effects will begin to be felt. 

Because the hurricane will pass about 200 miles or more south of the island, a high risk of ocean currents is expected. Therefore, the National Weather Service San Juan (NWSSJ) issued a warning for small boat operators, which will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. on Monday until noon Wednesday.

According to a recent projected trajectory, the closest approach of the center would be 241 miles to the southwest of Cabo Rojo.

Beryl’s outer bands could move across Puerto Rico starting Monday night, generating squally weather and breezy conditions, according to NWSSJ. 

Dangerous breaking waves of up to 17 feet are anticipated on Tuesday in areas such as Patillas, Guayanilla, Guayama, Salinas, and Arroyo, among others.

“On its path, the outer bands of Beryl will bring periods of thunderstorms and breezy to windy conditions, with winds ranging between 25 and 30 miles per hour with stronger gusts. Beryl will also bring dangerous seas and life-threatening rip currents with high surf conditions,” the NWSSJ said in a previous report.

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Beryl strengthened from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just 42 hours — a feat accomplished only six other times in Atlantic hurricane history, and with Sept. 1 as the earliest date, according to hurricane expert Sam Lillo.

It also was the earliest Category 4 Atlantic hurricane on record, besting Hurricane Dennis, which became a Category 4 storm on July 8, 2005.

Floricua’s staff journalist, Mivette Vega, contributed to this story.