No Ordinary Storm: Unpacking The Troubling Characteristics Of Hurricane Beryl

The current hurricane season got underway a little more than a month ago. But in most years, those parameters are established as broad dates during which conditions in the Atlantic Ocean could theoretically cause the formation of a serious tropical storm.

Most of the time, significant storms (and hurricanes in particular) don’t start forming until the waters reach their highest temperatures late into the summer. That’s not the case in 2024, though, and that might be cause for alarm.

Over a Beryl

Experts say the Atlantic is already as warm as it typically gets in late August, which has paved the way for Hurricane Beryl’s formation. Here are some key statistics about this early-season storm:

• Beryl grew from a tropical depression to a serious hurricane in just two days.
• The storm reached Category 5 wind speeds of over 165 mph on Monday.
• It slammed into the Windward Islands the same day and continued toward Jamaica.

All of these facts would be concerning even at the height of an ordinary hurricane season. But prior to this year, the earliest date on record that a Category 5 hurricane had ever formed in the Atlantic was July 16.

What does it mean?

Scientists unsurprisingly place some of the blame for this and other weather-related anomalies on the impact of climate change. But there are also cyclical patterns that can make one hurricane season significantly more severe than the last.

As atmospheric scientist Brian McNoldy said the day before Beryl reached Category 5 status, this year is shaping up to be an unprecedented one.

“With La Nina on the way and the ocean temperatures already looking like the second week of September, this is precisely the type of outlier event that people have been talking about for months heading into the season,” he said.

Chris Agee July 3rd, 2024

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