Hurricane Beryl continues to churn across the Caribbean. As of the latest update, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Beryl is at Category 4 strength with 145 mph winds.
The storm is expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica today.
Some weakening is forecast, but Beryl is still expected to be near major hurricane status as it moves into the central Caribbean.
The 5am advisory from the National Hurricane Center states:
On the forecast track, the center of Beryl will move rapidly across the central Caribbean Sea and is forecast to pass near or over Jamaica later today. The center is expected to pass near or over the Cayman Islands tonight or early Thursday and move over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico early Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph (230 km/h) with higher gusts. Beryl is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next
day or two. However, Beryl is forecast to be at or near major hurricane intensity while it passes near Jamaica later today and the Cayman Islands tonight or early Thursday. Additional weakening
is expected thereafter, though Beryl is forecast to remain a hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 946 mb (27.94 inches).
People trying to escape Hurricane Beryl are arriving in South Florida.
Hundreds of evacuees from Jamaica landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport yesterday.