The National Hurricane Center in Miami said weather systems in the southwestern Caribbean were expected to develop and strengthen this week, prompting a tropical storm warning to be issued for Jamaica and a hurricane watch for the Cayman Islands on Sunday.
The center also said the system could bring heavy rain to Cuba, Florida and the northern Gulf Coast later this week.
At 10 PM EST on Sunday, the system was located about 325 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, the center said. It was moving north at 6 miles per hour and was expected to turn northwest.
It was expected to become a tropical storm on Monday with the forecast continuing to strengthen. A tropical storm is defined as having maximum sustained winds of 39 mph to 73 mph. Hurricane-force winds are greater than 74 mph.
As expected, if the storm becomes stronger, it will be named Raphael.
Disturbances are expected near Jamaica late Monday and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the hurricane center, which urged residents of Cuba and the Florida Keys to monitor the storm’s progress. Heavy rain will affect the western Caribbean, with totals of 3 to 6 inches, with up to 9 inches expected locally in Jamaica and southern Cuba. Floods and landslides are possible in the country.
“Heavy rain will reach parts of Florida and the southeastern United States by mid to late week,” the center said.
