Is it safe to travel to the Caribbean right now?

With its tropical temperatures, palm tree-lined beaches and unbelievably blue waters, the Caribbean is a paradise for travellers. However, the region is currently experiencing an extraordinarily intense hurricane season, with conditions made more extreme by the climate emergency.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Monday July 1 on Carriacou, an island part of Grenada, and has caused significant destruction and led to the deaths of at least two people so far. Colin McCarthy, an extreme weather scientist, posted on X (fka Twitter): ‘Hurricane Beryl has just become the first June category four Atlantic hurricane in history. We have never seen such a strong hurricane this early in the season.’

A category four storm means that ‘catastrophic’ levels of damage are predicted, including severe damage to buildings and trees alongside power outages which could last for weeks. 

So, if you have a trip booked to the Caribbean, here is everything you need to know about how the hurricane might affect your trip. 

Where is Hurricane Beryl right now? 

As of 11am on Wednesday July 3, the hurricane has passed over Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, destroying buildings and cutting off power and water supplies. The death toll of the storm is now at seven people.

It’s heading west over the Caribbean Sea in the direction of the Gulf of Mexico. You can look at a live tracker of the storm on Zoom Earth here. 

Where is Hurricane Beryl’s path heading? 

Hurricane Beryl is hurtling towards Jamaica, and the island is under a hurricane warning. Conditions are expected to be treacherous, as the storm has significantly intensified in strength, with potentially ‘life-threatening’ winds and heavy rainfall and flash flooding predicted by weather experts. 

The Cayman Islands are under hurricane watch, but the storm is due to be category two by this stage, and category one by the time it reaches the coast of southeast Mexico by the end of this week.  

When will the hurricane hit Jamaica? 

Today, Wednesday July 3. Beryl briefly rose to a category five hurricane yesterday and is now back at category four, but it’s thought it will retain that strength as it hits Jamaica and only weaken afterwards. However, there are increasing concerns about the risk to the US, as the storm has the potential to move north over Texas, Louisiana and New Orleans. 

Is it safe to travel to the Caribbean? 

The storm has proved highly destructive so far, with winds of up to 155 mph recorded on Grenada. Multiple airports in the region have been closed, so it’s best to contact your travel provider if you have a trip booked to the Caribbean.

What flights have been cancelled? 

Multiple UK airlines have been cancelling flights. On Sunday, both the shuttle flight between Barbados and St Vincent and the London Heathrow-Barbados St Vincent round trip were cancelled. A Virgin Atlantic plane departed from Barbados five hours early on Sunday morning to avoid the hurricane. 

British Airways cancelled its flight from Gatwick to St Luca and Georgetown in Guyana on Monday, and says it will continue to monitor the situation. 

According to the Independent, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: ‘Due to adverse weather conditions expected from Hurricane Beryl, we are working with the relevant airports and partners to minimise disruption to our services, however some flights are subject to delays and cancellations due to the closure of Barbados airport.

‘We are contacting affected customers regarding their travel arrangements. We’d like to thank them for their patience and understanding and recommend that all customers due to travel to or from Barbados airport over the next 48 hours check the status of their flight on virginatlantic.com before going to the airport.’

Can I get a refund if I choose not to travel? 

It’s best to contact your flight and accommodation providers to see what can be done about cancelling or rescheduling your trip, however the likelihood of getting a refund is unclear as travelling to the region has not explicitly been advised against. 

What’s the latest advice? 

The UK Foreign has updated its advice on travelling to Jamaica, and reads: ‘Weather projections forecast a major hurricane to hit Jamaica, possible as early as the morning of Wednesday 3 July. International and domestic airports are closed from 10pm local time on Tuesday 2 July, and will only reopen when assessed safe to do so. You should follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Centre and follow the advice of local authorities including any evacuation orders. See Extreme weather and natural disasters.’

On its safety and security page, it reads: ‘Hurricane season is normally from June to November. We are seeing more uncharacteristic weather in Jamaica and the region is increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Hurricanes can cause fallen trees, damaged or blocked roads and flooding. Check your route in advance. Exercise caution in areas close to swamps, rivers, gullies and mangroves. Monitor local news and check World Meteorological Association weather reports for Jamaica.’

Extreme weather across the world

Many popular European holiday destinations are suffering the consequences of extreme weather. Wildfires have been reported across Greece over the last couple of weeks, including on the islands of Cyprus, Kos, Chios and Crete, as well as in the cities of Izmir and Balıkesir in Türkiye. 

Storms and torrential rain have also caused damage and killed seven people in northern Italy, northeastern France and southern Switzerland over the last few days. 

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