Jerry expected to become hurricane near Leeward Islands

The National Hurricane Center on Tuesday named Tropical Storm Jerry after a rapidly organizing system in the central Atlantic and warned the storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches the northern Leeward Islands later this week. Jerry was centered more than 1,300 miles eastsoutheast of the northern Leeward Islands on Tuesday morning and was moving west at about 20 to 25 mph toward the eastern Caribbean, the NHC said.

At the time of the first advisory, Jerry had maximum sustained winds near 45 to 50 mph and a minimum central pressure near 1006 millibars. Tropical storm force winds extended outward roughly 125 to 140 miles from the center. Forecasters said the system is encountering favorable conditions for strengthening, including warm sea surface temperatures and sufficiently moist midlevel air, and that steady intensification is likely through Friday.

On the forecast track, the core of Jerry is expected to pass near or just north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday into Friday. Tropical storm watches were issued for several islands, including Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, St. Barthelemy, Saint Martin and Sint...