Hurricane Beryl Speeds Past Caymans and Heads For Yucatan

Hurricane Beryl hammered the Cayman Islands this morning and is now headed towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is also expected to impact the western Gulf Coast, from Texas to Mexico, early next week. The Cayman Islands continue to experience strong impacts from the back half of Hurricane Beryl, including powerful winds, heavy rain, and damaging waves. As Beryl advances, parts of Mexico will begin to feel its effects starting Thursday night before the hurricane makes landfall early Friday morning.

Hurricane warnings remain in effect for the Cayman Islands and parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, including Costa Maya, Tulum, Cozumel, and Cancún. Surrounding these areas, hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings have been issued for the northern Yucatan Peninsula, north of Cancún, and south of Costa Maya. Additionally, a tropical storm watch is in effect for northern Belize, extending as far south as Belize City. Residents in the Cayman Islands are advised to remain in safe shelter until the hurricane passes, while those in the Yucatan Peninsula should rush their preparations to completion.

Beryl will continue on a west-northwest track through the Caribbean Sea for the rest of the week. Although the hurricane will lose some intensity due to increasingly hostile wind shear, it will still pose a considerable danger. Conditions are expected to deteriorate Thursday night as Beryl makes landfall early Friday morning, anywhere from the Belize border to Costa Maya and Cozumel. The region should brace for storm surge flooding, potentially damaging winds, and flooding rain. Heavy rain and strong wind gusts will persist in the Yucatan Peninsula through Friday night, and Beryl is anticipated to turn northwest after emerging over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.