Tropical storm Beryl intensified into an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane in less than 42 hours in a never-before-seen acceleration of destructive power for the time of year.

Beryl is now the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record in the Atlantic Ocean and the only Category 4 storm ever recorded in the month of June. The average date for the first hurricane of the season is August 11.

This will be the worst storm since 1933, which is the only other time a hurricane has appeared east of the Caribbean. And previously there have been only three Category 3 hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic in June. The previous record holder for the appearance of a Category 4 hurricane was Hurricane Dennis, which became a category 4 storm on July 8, 2005.

The previous hurricane record holders were Hurricane Alma that struck on June 8, 1996, followed by Hurricane Audrey, which reached major hurricane status on June 27, 1957. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was the last strongest hurricane to hit the southeast Caribbean, causing catastrophic damage in Grenada as a Category 3 storm. Beryl has already beaten all those records in terms of timing and ferocity running back to the 1933 season.

With sea temperatures at an all-time high, what is the first hurricane of the season, Beryl has been sucking up energy from the bath-warm water. Beryl is the first ever hurricane to form in July, as normally the hurricane season starts at least a month later and is the first hurricane to hit the West Caribbean. The temperatures of the seas are currently those that normally would not be seen until September after the long summer season.

“A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore flow near where the eye makes landfall in the hurricane warning area,” the National Hurricane Centre said as cited by CNN.

The warm seas mean that this year’s hurricanes will be more powerful than ever and meteorologists fear the world will see its first ever city-killing Category 6 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale this year with wind speeds over 80m/s. Currently the scale only goes up to five for wind speeds of 70.5m/s or higher. Storms have been known to touch temporarily on wind speeds of up to 82m/s, but technically these are still Category 5 hurricanes, as those speeds are not sustained.

Authorities warned locals to be prepared for the hurricane that is expected to make landfall on July 1 and will do unprecedented damage. A flotilla of boats left the Windward Islands of Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the two days prior following extreme weather forecasts.

A category 4 hurricane is expected to have maximum sustained winds of 210km/h (53m/s), as it made its way toward the Windward Islands. Hurricane warnings are in effect for Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, Grenada and Tobago.

“We’re forecasting rapid intensification and expecting Beryl to become a major hurricane before it reaches places like Barbados and the Windward islands and continue to be a powerful hurricane as it moves into the eastern and central Caribbean as we go into the early portions of next week,” hurricane centre Director Mike Brennan told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield on Saturday.

Tobago has already declared a red-level warning on June 30, the highest public emergency alert issued by the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service.

“Shelter in place or evacuate to a safe location if your home is unsafe or vulnerable to flooding or wind damage,” the agency said in a notice to the public reports CNN. “Secure food, water and medicine for at least 7 days in waterproof containers. Outdoor drains should be clear and loose objects secured by now. Sandbags should be near all entrances to your home.”

Authorities in the islands are anticipating storm-force winds, three to six inches of rain, “hazardous” marine conditions and large waves as well as severe thunderstorms that may bring down powerlines.

Last year saw a string of extremely powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic but their power was mitigated by the EL Niño weather phenomenon that causes “windshear” that bleeds hurricanes of some of their destructive force. This year the El Niño effect has run its course and those mitigating conditions have ended.

Hurricanes in the Atlantic are becoming more frequent and more powerful as a result of global warming which heated the seas to an all-time high and increased the amount of humidity in the atmosphere which has led to torrential rainfall around the globe. Flash floods and giant balls of hail have wrecked chaos in Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, China and India in the last two weeks to name only a few victims.

At the same time the downpours have been alternating with record heat waves that have killed hundreds of people. So far 11 countries have seen temperatures in excess of 50C and more countries are expected to join the “50C-plus club” as the summer wears on.

Hyperactive hurricane season

Due to the never seen before hot oceans, meteorologists are warning of a “hyperactive hurricane season” this year that is likely to do billions of dollars of damage to the Caribbean and southern US states. Instead of half a dozen major storms, scientists are predicting there will be 17-25 named storms this year, of which eight to 13 of those becoming hurricanes and at least one could set a new Category 6 benchmark that has the power to level towns.

The hurricane season typically runs from June 1 to November30 in the Atlantic.

Last year Acapulco in Mexico was devastated by the first ever Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the popular Mexican seaside resort town. Likewise, the subtropical storm Daniel ripped through Libya in September, killing over 11,000 in less than hour with a total of 34,000 missing.

A second storm is already forming off the coast of Mexico that also threatens to become a major hurricane. A tropical depression has formed over the southern Gulf of Mexico in the Bay of Campeche, according to Mexico’s National Hurricane Centre. The next name on the list of Atlantic storm names is Chris.

Tropical Depression Three is currently situated about 300km east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico, moving west at 20km per hour with maximum sustained winds of 56km/h (15.5m/s). The depression is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm before making landfall in eastern Mexico overnight on Sunday.

“The official intensity forecast calls for the system to become a tropical storm before landfall,” the hurricane centre stated. “Afterward, the circulation is very likely to dissipate over the mountainous terrain of eastern Mexico by Monday night.”

In response, the government of Mexico has issued a tropical storm warning from Cabo Rojo south to Puerto Veracruz. The National Hurricane Centre has warned that heavy rainfall totalling four to  eight inches across portions of eastern Mexico could result in flooding, with mudslides possible in areas of higher terrain.