Former Tropical Storm Beryl rapidly intensified to a hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean east of the Lesser Antilles on Saturday.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Beryl was located at latitude 10.1°N and longitude 49.3°W which put the center about 720 miles (1160 km) east-southeast of Barbados.  Beryl was moving toward the west at 22 m.p.h. (35 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 992 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for Barbados.

Hurricane Watches were in effect for St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands.

Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for Martinique, Dominica, and Tobago.

Former Tropical Storm Beryl rapidly intensified to a hurricane on Saturday.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Beryl’s circulation.  A small circular eye was at the center of Hurricane Beryl on microwave satellite images.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Beryl’s circulation.  Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away form the hurricane.  The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease rapidly.

The circulation around Hurricane Beryl was relatively small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles in the northeastern quadrant of Beryl’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Hurricane Beryl.

Hurricane Beryl will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Beryl will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C.  It will move under the southern part of an upper level ridge over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean.  The ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Beryl’s circulation.  The winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere are also blowing from the east and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Beryl will continue to intensify during the next 24 hours. Beryl could continue to intensify rapidly.  Beryl could intensify to a major hurricane before it reaches the Lesser Antilles.

Hurricane Beryl will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Beryl toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Beryl will move quickly toward the Lesser Antilles.  Beryl could approach Barbados by Sunday night.

Hurricane Beryl could be a major hurricane by the time it reaches the Windward Islands.  Beryl could cause major damage on some of the Windward Islands.  Hurricane Beryl will also drop heavy rain.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.  Hurricane Beryl could cause a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters).