CNN —Beryl is the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph with stronger gusts, according to a 5 p.m. EST update from the National Hurricane Center. That this formed so early in the season – and in this part of the Atlantic – is a sign of the hyperactive hurricane season to come, according to research from Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert and research scientist at Colorado State University. Normally, ocean temperatures aren’t warm enough in this region in June and July to help tropical systems thrive. That’s hardly the case this year, and one of the reasons behind record-high hurricane season forecasts over the past few months. Both have low odds of developing over the next week, but given the unusual early season action and favorable ocean temperatures, they will have to be watched closely.

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Persons: Beryl, St Lucia, Vincent, Philip Klotzbach, Phil Klotzbach, “ Beryl, ” Dr, Mike Brennan, CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield, ” Brennan, “, ”, El Niño, Wilfred Abrahams, Saint Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves, ” Gonsalves, Saint Lucia, Philip J, Pierre Organizations: CNN, National Hurricane Center, Lesser, St, Colorado State University, National Oceanic, Hurricane Center, NHC, Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Agency Locations: Barbados, Windward, Caribbean, Islands, St, Grenadines, Grenada, Martinique, Tobago, Mexico Gulf, Lesser, El, Mexico, “ Kingstown, ”, Saint