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Hurricane Beryl
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Hurricane Beryl at peak intensity on June 19

Hurricane Beryl at peak intensity on June 19
Formed June 5, 2024
Dissipated June 24, 2024

(extratropical after June 22)

Accumulated Cyclone Energy {{{accumulated cyclone energy}}}
Highest winds 90 mph
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure 968 mbar
Damages $1.1 billion
Direct Fatalities {{{direct fatalities}}}
Indirect Fatalities {{{indirect fatalities}}}
Missing {{{missing}}}
Areas affected South America (Venezuela), Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Bermuda, Ireland, Great Britain, France
Part of the
2024 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Beryl was an unusual tropical cyclone that made landfall in two unusual locations: Northern South America, in particular eastern Venezuela, and Ireland. This unusual cyclone lasted 22 days in June, becoming the longest-lived June Atlantic hurricane on record. Beryl was the second named storm and second hurricane of the active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.


Meteorological History[]

Danny Aug 20 2015 1700Z

Beryl at its initial peak intensity on June 9; Beryl was the southernmost North Atlantic hurricane on record.

On June 3, a tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa in an unusually southern location. On June 5, the NHC designated the tropical wave Tropical Depression Two while located 300 miles south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Forecasts initially expected the depression to turn to the northwest and become a category 2 or 3 hurricane. However, Two moved directly west. Early on June 6 at approximately 03:00 UTC, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Beryl, becoming the second named storm of the season. Due to its low latitude and a fairly strong Saharan Air Layer, Beryl struggled to intensify beyond tropical storm intensity for the next 48 hours.

On June 8, a small eye began forming and the NHC decided to upgrade Beryl to a category 1 hurricane. The next day, Beryl's winds reached 85 mph - however its pressure remained unusually high at 991 millibars. Slow weakening began the next day, with Beryl being downgraded to a tropical storm. Beryl was then expected to dissipate quickly due to its low latitude. However, Beryl remained alive for much longer than anticipated. The tropical storm's winds sat in the 45-50 mph range for two days.

On June 14, Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall in eastern Venezuela, bringing heavy rains and flooding. Beryl caused 544 deaths and $675 million in damages, becoming one of the deadliest known tropical cyclones to impact South America. On June 15, Beryl weakened to a tropical depression, with dissipation still expected. The weak tropical depression managed to survive, however. On June 17, while located near Jamaica, Beryl re-intensified back into a tropical storm. Two days later, the storm's convection substantially improved and a new, larger eye formed, being upgraded back into a category 1 hurricane. The next day, Beryl was upgraded back into a category 1 hurricane, and later acquired its peak intensity of 90 mph.

Tropical Storm Grace 2009 at peak intensity

Tropical Storm Beryl on June 20, just under hurricane strength

During the next day Beryl began to weaken due to cooler sea surface temperatures. However, later that afternoon, Beryl developed a new eye and was once again a hurricane for the third time. On June 21, Beryl made landfall in Ireland as a category 1 hurricane - an extremely unusual and only known occurence of such happening. Because of Beryl, A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for parts of England. Beryl became extratropical near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire on June 22. Beryl's remnants dissipated on June 24 while located near Paris, France. In Europe, Beryl caused 19 deaths and approximately $400 million in damage, becoming one of the deadliest and costliest tropical cyclones in European history.

Retirement[]

In April 2025, the NHC decided to retire the name "Beryl" from their naming lists due to the destruction it caused in South America and Europe. It was replaced with the name Bianca with the 2030 Atlantic hurricane season.

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