Tropical Storm Jerry Could Be a Category One Hurricane by the End of the Week

The Caribbean is facing down the potential of yet another hurricane this week. According to The Weather Channel, a system known as Tropical Storm Jerry is currently churning in the Atlantic. It’s expected to move near or north of the Leeward Islands and is also expected to intensify into a hurricane by the end of the week.

The National Hurricane Center reported, Tropical Storm Jerry is still a bit more than 900 miles out of the islands. Already, Jerry has sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. But, forecasters say, by the time it approaches the islands on Friday it is expected to have sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour, making it a category one storm.

However, according to the Orlando Sentinel, the islands may be largely spared from its wrath. The paper noted, computer forecasts show the storm moving a bit north of the islands thanks to the development of Category 3 Hurricane Humberto. That storm is also heading north and will likely pull the center of Hurricane Jerry north with it.

But, it also showed, the islands, including Puerto Rico, could still be affected by Jerry’s outer bands that could still come with strong winds and heavy rain.

Despite bringing a bit of rain things could be much worse if the storm’s path varies just a few miles. The Bahamas are still recovering following the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian. Earlier this month, the storm made landfall as a category 5, bringing intense wind and rain along with it.

Though the islands will likely be in recovery mode for some time to come, government officials are still welcoming tourists to come visit and spend their vacations in the tropics. As Travel + Leisure previously reported, the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation urged travelers with plans to visit to keep their reservations. However, they just need to check in to ensure their island is open. Open and unaffected islands include some of the most popular destinations in the Bahamas such as Nassau, Paradise Island, the Exumas, and Cat Island.

If you don’t plan to visit but still want to help, a number of non-profits are currently taking donations and assistance.