Hurricane Jose made a slow clockwise loop east of the Bahamas during the past several days.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Jose was located at latitude 25.2°N and longitude 66.0°W which put it about 935 miles (1510 km) east of Nassau, Bahamas.  Jose was moving toward the west at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (155 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 985 mb.

Hurricane Jose was in an area of weaker winds between an upper level ridge to the west and an upper level trough to the east.  The weaker steering winds pushed Jose around a slow clockwise loop.  The ridge is forecast to move north of Jose on Thursday and it should steer the hurricane toward the west.  The ridge is forecast to move east of Jose on Friday and the hurricane is expected to start moving more toward the north.

Hurricane Jose has been moving through an environment that was somewhat unfavorable for intensification.  Jose was moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature was near 29°C.  However, the upper level ridge was producing northerly winds which were causing moderate vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Jose maintained its intensity despite the moderate shear, although there were fewer showers and thunderstorms in western half of the circulation.  The wind shear could decrease as the upper level ridge moves north of Jose and the hurricane could strengthen.

It is still too early to know if Hurricane Jose will have much of an impact on the U.S.  Most of the guidance from numerical models keeps Jose out over the Atlantic Ocean, but its actual track will depend on where and when the clockwise loop ends.