MIAMI –Tropical Storm Jerry has seen an increase in its maximum sustained winds, and while the National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the storm is still expected to become a hurricane, it may not be as strong as initially forecast.
This comes after NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters set off on a mission early Wednesday morning to fly through the intensifying storm to gather more information on its size and strength.
That mission lasted until late Wednesday morning.
Tropical Storm Jerry formed in the Atlantic on Tuesday after first being designated as Invest 95L.
And according to the latest information from the NHC, Tropical Storm Jerry is expected to continue to strengthen and will likely become a hurricane by the weekend.
Earlier forecast models had Jerry strengthening into a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph, but the forecast has since been updated, and the official forecast calls for Jerry to remain a Category 1 hurricane.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APP
Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for several islands, including Antigua, Barbuda and Anguilla, as well as St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands.
According to the NHC, tropical storm conditions are possible in portions of the northern Leeward Islands within the watch area by late Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday, 2-4 inches of rain is expected across the Leeward Islands because of Tropical Storm Jerry. That rainfall will bring the risk of flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain.
In addition, swells generated by Tropical Storm Jerry are expected to reach the Leeward and Windward islands on Thursday, and then spread westward toward the Greater Antilles on Friday.
Those swells are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents at local beaches.
The U.S. and British Virgin Islands, as well as other territories in the northeastern Caribbean, should monitor Jerry's progress, the NHC urged.
HOW ARE HURRICANES RATED? THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE EXPLAINED
As of the latest advisory from the NHC, Tropical Storm Jerry had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with some higher gusts.
The storm is located about 750 miles to the east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and is moving off to the west-northwest at 23 mph.
The NHC said that general motion is expected to continue through early Thursday. After that, the NHC said Jerry should make a turn to the northwest and then the north at a slower speed late on Thursday into Saturday.
On that forecast track, the center of Jerry is expected to pass near or to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday and Thursday night.
The post Tropical Storm Jerry expected to strengthen into hurricane as it scoots past Leeward Islands appeared first on Fox Weather