Tropical Storm Beryl has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into the year’s first hurricane before it reaches the Caribbean Sea early next week.

The Meteorological Service of Barbados issued a hurricane watch for Barbados early Saturday morning.

Beryl is the second named storm in what is predicted to be a busy hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic.

Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Alberto came ashore in north-east Mexico with heavy rains that resulted in four deaths.

STATEMENT # 8 ON TROPICAL STORM BERYL – A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR BARBADOS Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to become a hurricane before reaching Barbados late Sunday night and hence the Barbados Meteorological Services has issued a Hurricane Watch for Barbados. pic.twitter.com/ujF1iCuerd

— BarbadosMetServices (@BarbadosMet) June 29, 2024

Beryl was moving westwards on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

It had top sustained winds of 40mph. A tropical storm is defined by sustained winds between 39mph and 73mph. Winds above that make it a hurricane.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that the 2024 hurricane season is likely to be well above average, with between 17 and 25 named storms.

The forecast calls for as many as 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes.