Being in Disney World a lot, particularly in the summer, means we have to keep an eye on the hurricane situation.

Rain on Main Street

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th, which means Florida is often in the path of such storms. This year’s hurricane season has been predicted to be more active than previous years, and the first hurricane of the season, Hurricane Beryl, is already barreling its way through the Atlantic toward Barbados as a Category 4 storm. 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Beryl, which was just a tropical storm yesterday, June 29th, is now an “extremely dangerous Category 4” storm that is approaching the windward islands of Barbados. Life-threatening winds and a storm surge are expected to arrive as early as Monday morning.

©NOAA

According to CBS News, the hurricane currently has maximum sustained winds of 130mph and is moving west at 21mph. As of 2PM ET, the storm was located at about 310 miles east-southeast of Barbados. Hurricane warnings are in effect in Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines and Tobago. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Martinique, while a tropical storm watch is in effect in Dominica and Trinidad.

©NOAA

Beryl is already breaking records as only one of six hurricanes in Atlantic hurricane history to strengthen from a tropical depression into a major hurricane in just over 40 hours. Before it was upgraded to a Category 4, it was only one of three Category 3 hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic in June.

Beryl is only the second named storm of the hurricane season, which could bring 17 to 25 named storms to the Atlantic, with eight to 13 being hurricanes and four to seven being major hurricanes.

©NOAA

This weekend, thousands of people are in Barbados for the Twenty20 World Cup Cricket final, cricket’s biggest event, in the capital of Bridgetown. “We need to be ready,” Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in a public address late Friday. “You and I know when these things happen, it is better to plan for the worst and pray for the best.”

We’ll be keeping a close eye on all the developments this hurricane season and keep you updated, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

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Have you ever seen a tropical storm or hurricane? Share your experience in the comments!