Hurricane Beryl Hits Texas: UN Warns of Intense Hurricane Season

Hurricane Beryl, which caused significant damage from the Caribbean to Mexico and the United States, has highlighted the urgent need for strong early warning systems, according to the UN meteorological agency (WMO). Beryl is the strongest hurricane ever to form in the Atlantic during June, rapidly intensifying from a tropical depression to a Category 4 storm, and briefly reaching Category 5 with winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph).

It made landfall in Texas early Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, causing a dangerous storm surge and the risk of flash flooding. The storm is expected to weaken rapidly as it moves further inland, according to the UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) specialised regional centre Miami, operated by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

WMO also warned of a very intense hurricane season, with up to 25 named storms expected through November. Among them, eight to 13 could develop into hurricanes. Ko Barrett, WMO Deputy Secretary-General, stated, “We need to be especially vigilant this year due to near-record ocean heat in the region where Atlantic hurricanes form and the shift to La Nina conditions, which together create the conditions for increased storm formulation.”

This is why WMO and its partners have prioritised early warning action in small islands under the international Early Warnings For All initiative.