Tropical Storm Grace brought wind and rain to Jamaica on Tuesday. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Grace was located at latitude 18.5°N and longitude 77.5°W which put it about 25 miles (40 km) east of Montego Bay, Jamaica. Grace was moving toward the west at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cabo Catoche to Punta Allen, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and the Cuban provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Las Tunas and Camaguey. Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Cinefuegos, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud.

The center of Tropical Storm Grace was moving along the northern coast of Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon. Grace was causing gusty winds over Jamaica and it was also dropping heavy rain. Tropical Storm Grace strengthened earlier on Tuesday as it approached Jamaica. More thunderstorms developed near the center of circulation. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Grace. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) on the eastern side of Grace. The winds in the western half of the circulation were blowing mostly at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Grace will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high will steer Grace toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Grace will move across Jamaica during the next few hours. Grace could reach the Cayman Islands early on Wednesday. Grace could approach the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday night.

Tropical Storm Grace is not likely to strengthen during the next few hours while the center of circulation is near the northern coast of Jamaica. Grace will move through an environment favorable for intensification after it moves west of Jamaica. Grace will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move under the southern side of an upper level ridge centered near Florida. The ridge will produce easterly winds that will blow toward the top of Grace’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will be too small to prevent intensification. Tropical Storm Grace could strengthen to a hurricane over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. A period of rapid intensification could occur if an inner core with an eye and an eyewall forms at the center of Grace.

Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Fred was dropping heavy rain over parts of the southeastern U.S. and Tropical Storm Henri was strengthening south of Bermuda.

At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Depression Fred was located at latitude 33.4°N and longitude 84.7°W which put it about 30 miles (50 km) south-southwest of Atlanta, Georgia. Fred was moving toward the north-northeast at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 30 m.p.h. (50 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Henri was located at latitude 30.4°N and longitude 64.3°W which put it about 143 miles (215 km) south-southeast of Bermuda. Henri was moving toward the west-southwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for Bermuda.