Lake Charles, LA (7/5/2024) – Early this morning, Hurricane Beryl, which had briefly intensified into a Category 3 storm last night, weakened again to a Category 2 as it approaches the Yucatan Peninsula, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles. With winds reaching up to 110 MPH, Beryl is expected to make landfall this morning on the peninsula and further weaken to a tropical storm by tonight.
Meteorologist Donald Jones from NWS Lake Charles elaborated on the storm’s progress: “There’s been little change to the overall forecast philosophy. Beryl will weaken across the Yucatan Peninsula today and then re-strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as it enters the southern Gulf of Mexico tomorrow morning.”
Beryl is forecast to make a second landfall near the Texas/Mexico border late Sunday night or early Monday morning. The Gulf Coast region is bracing for significant impacts including increased swells, rip currents, and possible coastal flooding as Beryl moves across the Gulf.
“Residents in these areas should remain vigilant,” advised Jones. “The biggest impacts to our area this weekend continue to be the increasing swells and possible coastal flooding.”
As Beryl moves further inland into Eastern Texas next week, there is an increasing risk of flash flooding from Tuesday to Thursday, though the severity will depend on the storm’s final path. The remnants of Beryl are expected to affect a large area, emphasizing the need for preparedness and close monitoring of the storm’s progress.
