Beryl Stronger, but No Longer Tropical
May 30, 2012; 7:45 PM
Beryl has been officially designated a post-tropical storm despite regaining strength as it moves along the Carolina coast with drenching rain, gusty thunderstorms and rough seas and surf.
After spending a couple of days inland over Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Beryl has taken on a path paralleling the North Carolina coast.
Since roughly half of the system's circulation is over the marginally warm waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf Stream, intensification is likely through Thursday.
However, since the structure of Beryl is changing from tropical to non-tropical, official designation will avoid tropical storm status. Winds will be near tropical storm strength in coastal northeastern North Carolina into this evening.
Beryl is forecast by the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center to move off of Cape Hatteras, N.C., tonight, and then continue a northeasterly path over the open waters of the Atlantic through the end of the week.
Showers and thunderstorms from an approaching cool front have become partly absorbed within Beryl's circulation, which extends into part of Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula.
Drenching downpours and locally gusty winds, with and without thunderstorms, will continue over eastern North Carolina into the afternoon and into southeastern Virginia and part of the Delmarva into this evening.
Up to several inches of rain can fall in this swath forward from the midday hours today into tonight. Gusts in squalls offshore can reach 55 mph. However, gusts can reach 45 mph in a few coastal communities north and northeast of the center as it moves along.
Bathers are urged to exercise caution from the Carolina to New Jersey beaches, due to the potential for numerous and strong rip currents as Beryl continues to bring large waves to the coast.
Beryl is not expected to make a left turn into New England, due to a developing strong westerly steering flow in the region.
An area of disturbed weather is being watched in the northwestern Caribbean. However, it appears wind shear will continue to overwhelm the system and its chances of development.