The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is carefully monitoring Hurricane Jerry as it tracks through the Atlantic Ocean, as its path is not yet certain. The Category 1 hurricane has maximum sustained wind speeds of 85mph and is moving in a west-northwestward motion at a rate of 16mph. There are several watches and warnings in effect for the Leeward Islands, which is forecast to feel impacts from Jerry on Friday as the centre of the storm passes over or close by to the islands.
The NHC says Jerry has the potential to strengthen yet further on Thursday after an Air Force plane flew over the storm.
As of their 2pm AST (7pm BST) update, the NHC warned Jerry was “getting stronger” as he tracked through the Atlantic.
Jerry was located approximately 435 miles east of the Leeward Islands and hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 20 miles from the centre.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles.
Read More: Hurricane Jerry path: Which regions are under storm warnings?
Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for
- Barbuda
- Anguilla
- St. Maarten
- St. Martin
- St. Barthelemy
- Saba and St. Eustatius
NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over Tropical Storm Jerry from its orbit in space and measured rainfall rates throughout the storm.
Read More: Hurricane tracker: TWO dangerous storms form near Hurricane Humberto
GPM passed over Tropical Storm Jerry in the Atlantic Ocean on September 18 at 11.51pm EDT (September 19 at 4.51amBST).
GPM found the heaviest rainfall stretching from the eastern to southern side of the storm where it was falling at a rate of over 25 mm (about 1 inch) per hour there and in a fragmented band of thunderstorms west of the centre.
Forecasters at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center or NHC incorporate the rainfall data into their forecasts.
Spaghetti models for Hurricane Jerry show it passing just north of the Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Despite not hitting Puerto Rico, rainfall may be felt says the NHC.
Jerry is expected to produce one to three inches of rainfall, with isolated maximum totals of 4 to 6 inches from Barbuda northwest across St. Marteen/Anguilla into Anegada.
Across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, Jerry is forecast to produce total rainfall accumulations of one to two inches with maximum amounts of three inches.
Swells generated by Jerry are forecast to begin to affect portions of the northern Leeward Islands this afternoon.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.