THIS is how close Hurricane Beryl could possibly get to Houston

HOUSTON – Beryl became a monster category 5 Hurricane on Monday, making it the earliest category 5 that has formed since Hurricane Emily on July 17, 2005. By Tuesday afternoon, it was at category 4 strength, headed toward Jamaica.

Although Hurricane Beryl is pushing to the WNW through the Caribbean — there are two major factors with Beryl making a track toward Texas:

Editors note: This story was written Tuesday afternoon. The Storm Tracker 2 team is keeping a close watch here on Beryl’s latest movement.

1.) If Beryl makes a direct hit on Jamaica by Wednesday afternoon, that shows it following a northern path. That northern path makes it easier for Beryl to keep moving north.

2.) The second key is the weather pattern next week. A ridge of high pressure builds over the western United States. The high near Texas on Tuesday, weakens and shifts slightly east. This creates a weakness near South Texas. A trough in the state could pull Hurricane Beryl north.

The only way this happens is if Beryl is close enough to get picked up.

So the point is — there is a chance that landfall could be in South Texas.

RELATED: Hurricane Beryl strengthens to Category 5, How close could it get to Houston?

Southeast Texas could start feeling the impacts of Hurricane Beryl on Sunday afternoon if the track pulls north. The farther north it tracks, the more rain we’ll get and storms from tropical moisture.