Hurricane Beryl intensified into the Atlantic’s earliest Category 4 storm on record, today.

The development came as the hurricane barreled towards the windward islands.

On the forecast track, the center of Beryl is expected to move across the windward islands tomorrow morning and across the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea late Monday through Wednesday.

Meantime in the region, residents are already bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Beryl.

Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has issued a hurricane warning to citizens. 

He urged Vincentians to take the hurricane seriously, while noting that shelters would be opened at 6 this evening.

Barbados Information Minister Wilfred Abrahams urged Barbadians to stay safe, while noting that the country is expected to begin seeing impacts from the hurricane tonight.

Locally, the National Fisheries Authority has urged all fishers and mariners to heed the hurricane warnings and advisories.

They are advised to secure their vessels, refrain from venturing out to sea, and to seek safe harbor.

Fisherfolk on the Pedro and Morant Cays are also urged to seek refuge immediately.  

Projections are for Hurricane Beryl to begin impacting Jamaica late Tuesday night into early Thursday morning.