United States - July 01, 2024

In the midst of a bustling hurricane season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Aircraft Operations Center has deployed its WP-3D Orion NOAA42, famously known as "Kermit," directly into the heart of Hurricane Beryl. This mission aims to gather critical data that will aid forecasters at NHC_Atlantic and bolster ongoing hurricane research efforts at NOAA_AOML.

Hurricane Beryl, having intensified into a formidable Category 4 storm, has carved a path through the open waters, leaving a trail of devastation in the southeast Caribbean where it claimed the lives of at least six individuals. As it barrels towards Jamaica, a hurricane warning has been issued for several regions including Grand Cayman and Haiti’s southern coast. According to the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center, Beryl is expected to maintain significant strength as it approaches Jamaica and later passes over the Cayman Islands and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Despite a slight downgrade from Category 5 on Tuesday, Beryl remains a potent threat, poised to unleash life-threatening winds and storm surges upon Jamaica. Authorities have urged residents in flood-prone areas to prepare for potential evacuation measures amidst the looming danger.