The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued advisories on two active tropical systems, Hurricane Beryl and newly formed Tropical Depression Three, which are expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to the Windward Islands and the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, respectively.
Note: At the time this article was written on June 30, 2024, the storm posed no immediate threat to Southwest Louisiana.
As of Sunday, June 30, 2024, Hurricane Beryl was located approximately 200 miles east of the Windward Islands, with sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and gusts reaching even higher speeds. The category 4 hurricane is moving west-northwest at 18 mph (30 km/h) and is expected to maintain its strength as it crosses the Windward Islands on Monday morning and enters the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea by late Monday through Wednesday.
The NHC warns that fluctuations in Beryl’s strength are possible over the next day or so, but the hurricane is expected to remain an extremely dangerous category 4 storm through landfall in the Windward Islands. Hurricane-force winds extend up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reach up to 115 miles (185 km). The minimum central pressure stands at 958 mb (28.29 inches), according to data from Air Force Reserve and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft.
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Three has formed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, posing a threat to the region. The NHC is monitoring the situation closely, as the depression is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm in the coming days.
In the eastern Tropical Atlantic, an area of low pressure is showing signs of development, with environmental conditions conducive to the formation of a tropical depression by the middle of the week. The system is moving westward at 15 to 20 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic, and interests in the Lesser Antilles are advised to monitor its progress. The NHC has assigned a medium 40% chance of formation within the next 48 hours and a high 70% chance of formation within the next seven days.
