HOLT, Fla., June 29, 2024—Beryl is now a hurricane, the first of the 2024 season.

Due to “near ideal conditions,” the National Hurricane Center is forecasting Beryl to intensify quickly and become a “dangerous major hurricane” before it reaches the Windward Islands late Sunday night into Monday with life-threatening winds and storm surge.

The storm is forecast to reach to category 3 strength with 120 mph winds within the next 48 hours.

Both Air Force Reserve and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunters are scheduled to fly missions to collect data on the structure and intensity of the storm.

Beryl is traveling generally westward at nearly 22 mph with 75 mph winds.

Once over the Caribbean Sea, the storm is forecast to hit an increase in wind shear causing some weakening around day five.