Early Friday morning, tropical storm Beryl became the first hurricane (category 1) of the 2018 season. However, it could be downgraded to a tropical storm during its passage on the West Indies arc.

"Hurricane Beryl kicks off the season in the Caribbean. It will arrive on the West Indies Sunday and may be downgraded to the rank of storm. Some European models are considering the possibility that Beryl regaining strength in contact with warm Caribbean waters. The intensity fluctuation of Beryl is such that it is difficult to make accurate forecasts for the moment, we will have more certainty early Monday morning if Beryl remains on its current trajectory and on its speed. In the meantime, please make preparations and take the usual precautions," informed the Directorate of Civil Protection on Friday.

At 5am this morning, the center of Hurricane Beryl was located near latitude 11.1 North, longitude 49.8 West. Beryl is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph (22 km/h). A west-northwestward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected during the next few days.

On the forecast track, the center of Beryl will approach the Lesser Antilles over the weekend and cross the island chain late Sunday or Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Due to the small size of the hurricane, short-term changes in intensity, up or down, could occur over the next day or two, but Beryl is forecast to be near hurricane strength as it nears the Lesser Antilles. Weakening is expected once Beryl reaches the eastern Caribbean Sea on Monday, but the system may not degenerate into an open trough until it reaches the vicinity of Hispaniola and the central Caribbean Sea on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Beryl is a small hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 10 miles (20 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km).

SL/ HaitiLibre