In an address to the nation on Sunday evening, St. Vincent’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves emphasized the importance of taking all meteorological warnings seriously and completing all preparations to protect life and property by now.
Gonsalves said it is going to be terrible from tonight until tomorrow, as the meteorologists predicted once Beryl stays on its current course.
The NHC said it is expected when Beryl passes over portions of the Windward Islands, with the highest risk of the core in St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada beginning early Monday morning.
According to Gonsalves, the storm force winds predicted for tonight could destroy many roofs, but the hurricane force winds predicted for Monday will be more damaging.
At 5 p.m., the NHC warned of potentially catastrophic hurricane-force winds, a life-threatening storm surge, and damaging waves when Beryl passes over parts of the Windward Islands.
“Fishermen don’t venture out to sea; pull up the boats now and protect life and property.”.
Gonsalves said what is even more troubling is that another weather system in the Eastern Atlantic is expected in the region by Wednesday, with a 70 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression.
NHC, in its 5 p.m. reports, said showers and thunderstorms continue in association with an area of low pressure (Invest AL96) located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Environmental conditions appear conducive to the additional development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form by the middle of this week while it moves generally westward.
On Sunday, the SVG Met Office relocated its operations to the EOC in Kingstown, and emergency shelters nationwide opened at 6 p.m.
Hurricane warnings are in effect for much of the Windward Islands.
