Hurricane Beryl, now a Category 3 storm, is churning toward the Caribbean, where it is expected to intensify into the earliest Category 4 storm in recorded history. Though its eventual course remains uncertain, landfall along the western Gulf Coast appears likely.
Such strong hurricanes have traditionally formed in late August or September, as the sea temperature peaks. Climate change is clearly shifting that pattern; the ocean water is already very warm, fueling tropical storm and hurricane development.
Indeed, another tropical disturbance is following Beryl across the Atlantic and will likely be named in the coming days. Beryl's rapid intensification is a potent warning that this Hurricane Season (and others to follow) will be active and destructive.
