Caribbean itineraries, flight cancellations and travel tips

With its tropical temperatures, palm-fringed beaches and incredibly blue waters, The Caribbean is a traveler’s paradise. However, the region is currently experiencing a hurricane season of extraordinary intensity, with conditions made even more extreme by the climate emergency.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Carriacou, an island in Grenada, on Monday, July 1, causing widespread destruction and killing at least two people so far. Colin McCarthy, a weather scientist who specializes in extreme weather, wrote about X (formerly Twitter): “Hurricane Beryl has just become the first Category 4 hurricane in Atlantic history. We have never seen a hurricane this powerful this early in the season.”

The storm has since been upgraded to a Category Five storm, meaning “catastrophic” levels of damage are expected, including the destruction of buildings and trees and power outages that could last for weeks.

So, if you’ve booked a trip to the Caribbean, here’s everything you need to know about how the hurricane could affect your trip.

Where is Hurricane Beryl currently located?

On July 2 at 1pm, the hurricane passed through Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, destroying buildings and cutting off power and water supplies. It is now heading west across the Caribbean Sea toward the Gulf of Mexico. You can follow the storm live on Zoom Earth here.

Where is Hurricane Beryl heading?

Hurricane Beryl is heading towards Jamaica and the island is under a hurricane warning. Conditions are expected to be dangerous as the storm has intensified significantly, with potentially “life-threatening” winds and heavy rain and flash flooding predicted by weather experts. The hurricane is expected to make landfall on the island tomorrow, Wednesday, July 3.

The Cayman Islands are under a hurricane watch, but the storm is expected to be a Category Two at this point, and a Category One when it reaches the southeastern coast of Mexico later this week.

Is it safe to travel to the Caribbean?

The storm has been very destructive so far, with winds reaching 240 km/h recorded in Grenada. Several airports in the region have been closed, so it is best to contact your travel agent if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked.

Which flights were cancelled?

Several British airlines have cancelled flights. On Sunday, the shuttle flight between Barbados and St. Vincent and the London Heathrow-Barbados-St. Vincent return flight were cancelled. A Virgin Atlantic plane took off from Barbados five hours early on Sunday morning to avoid the hurricane.

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

According to IndependentA Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “Due to the adverse weather conditions expected as a result of Hurricane Beryl, we are working with affected 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 reaching out to affected customers regarding their travel arrangements. We would like to thank them for their patience and understanding and recommend that all customers who are due to travel to or from Barbados airport in the next 48 hours check their flight status on virginatlantic.com before travelling to the airport.”

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

It is best to contact your flight and accommodation providers to see what can be done to cancel or postpone your trip, but the likelihood of getting a refund is unclear as travel to the region has not been explicitly advised against.

What is the last advice?

The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Jamaica, saying: “Weather projections predict that a major hurricane will hit Jamaica, possibly as early as the morning of Wednesday 3 July. You should follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Centre and follow the advice of the local authorities including any evacuation orders. See Extreme weather and natural disasters.’

The safety page states: “Hurricane season normally runs from June to November. We are seeing more and more unusual weather in Jamaica and the region is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Hurricanes can cause downed trees, damaged or blocked roads and flooding. Check your route in advance. Be careful in areas near marshes, rivers, ravines and mangroves. Monitor local news and check the World Meteorological Association’s weather reports for Jamaica.”

Extreme Weather Around the World

Many popular European tourist destinations are suffering the consequences of extreme weather conditions. Forest fires have been reported across Greece in the last two weeks, including on the islands of Cyprus, Kos, Chios and Creteas well as in the cities of Izmir and Balıkesir in Türkiye.

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

Stay informed: subscribe to our Free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news.