Beryl has weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall in Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, and tropical storm conditions remained in place over parts of the northern Yucatan Peninsula.
People clear tree branches in a hotel area after Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Tulum, Mexico, July 5, 2024.
Raquel Cunha/Reuters
A man walks past a traffic signal knocked down by high winds and rain caused by Hurricane Beryl, a Category 2 hurricane, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, July 5, 2024.
Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters
Beryl had maximum winds of 110 mph when it moved ashore Friday morning northeast of the resort town of Tulum on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
The hurricane continued its weakening trend as it crossed the Yucatán – causing major cleanups at resorts in Tulum, Cancun, and Cozumel – and moved toward the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Beryl now aims for Texas
Southern Texas may be the most important location for Beryl as it moves over Mexico and back into the Gulf of Mexico.
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As Beryl moves across the Gulf toward the U.S.-Mexico border, it could strengthen back into a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday morning.
Beryl is expected to reach southern Texas by Monday morning — somewhere between Corpus Christi and South Padre Island, though some models suggest the storm could reach even further north.
Based on forecasts from the National Hurricane Center, the storm could be a Category 1 storm, with winds of 75 mph or more.
Regardless of Beryl’s strength, it is expected to bring heavy rain to southern Texas. More than 8 inches of rain could fall in just a few hours, causing flooding inland as far as Austin and San Antonio.
Beryl could bring 8 inches or more of rain in just a few hours early next week.
ABC News
Life-threatening storm surges could be several feet high, and cause major coastal flooding from South Padre Island to Galveston.
Additionally, prolonged coastal winds along the U.S. Gulf Coast could produce adverse beach conditions, including the threat of swells this holiday weekend.
Texas issued disaster declarations for 39 counties on Friday as officials prepared for the storm.
“We’re going to be prepared for the worst, and we’re ready to deploy as soon as we know what direction the storm is headed,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said during a press briefing.
‘Substantial’ damage seen in Jamaica
The storm hit Mexico Thursday morning, passing south of the Cayman Islands, packing hurricane-force winds and storm surge that are expected to possibly raise waters by 4 to 6 feet and dump half a foot of rain.
It also caused flooding and widespread damage on the island of Jamaica late Wednesday. The center of Beryl also passed just 45 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds.
Beryl was the first major hurricane – of at least Category 3 – to pass so close to Jamaica since 2007.
Residents look at a damaged drain in Shooters Hill, Jamaica, after Hurricane Beryl on July 4, 2024.
Ricardo Makin/AFP via Getty Images
Hurricane Beryl caused damage mainly in southwestern Jamaica, officials said.
“Jamaica escaped the worst of Hurricane Beryl’s impact, but damage is still considerable,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said on social media.
About half of the island was still without power as of Thursday evening, according to a government official.
The Jamaica Public Service said teams were conducting remote assessments and awaiting approval from Emergency Management to conduct on-the-ground assessments and begin the restoration process.
One of the major cell providers in Jamaica – Digicel – has been down since overnight and is working on network restoration.
A woman looks at a trash-strewn beach in Bull Bay, Jamaica, after Hurricane Beryl on July 4, 2024.
Ricardo Makin/AFP via Getty Images
The island’s three major airports were closed Tuesday as the storm approached, leaving travelers stranded. Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told ABC News on Thursday that power outages have impacted the airports, but all three airports should be fully operational on Friday.
Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay reopened to customers at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday. Airport guards told ABC News that the storm caused some damage to the airport.
Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston said it was set to reopen at 5 a.m. local time on Friday. The storm also caused some minor damage, including blowing off a small section of roof on the passenger boarding pier.
Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios also plans to reopen Friday, according to Bartlett.
ABC News’ Faith Abubey contributed to this report.
