Hurricane Jerry was passing north of the Leeward Islands on Friday afternoon.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Jerry was located at latitude 19.6°N and longitude 62.0°W which put it about 120 miles (195 km) northeast of Anguilla.  Jerry was moving toward the west-northwest at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 991 mb.

Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for St. Maarten, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.

Hurricane Jerry weakened during much of Friday, but it began to exhibited greater organization again late in the afternoon.  Thunderstorms weakened around the core of Jerry and in the rainbands on Friday morning.  The lack of stronger thunderstorms to transport stronger winds to the surface caused the circulation around the hurricane to weaken.  Northwesterly winds blowing around the eastern side of an upper level ridge over the Caribbean Sea caused more vertical wind shear.  The circulation may have also draw some drier air into the western half of the circulation.  Stronger thunderstorms began to redevelop near the center of circulation late in the afternoon.  Thunderstorms also began to form in a band on the western side of Hurricane Jerry.  The circulation around Jerry was small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 90 miles (145 km) from the center.

Hurricane Jerry will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the weekend.  Jerry will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  It will move near the eastern side of an upper level ridge and the ridge will cause some vertical wind shear.  If the shear is greater, the Hurricane Jerry could weaken to a tropical storm.  If the shear is less then Hurricane Jerry could intensify.  It is possible that the wind speed in Hurricane Jerry will fluctuate during the weekend as the strength of the upper level wind changes.

Hurricane Jerry will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Jerry toward the west-northwest during the next 12 to 24 hours.  A portion of the high is forecast to weaken during the weekend and if that happens, then Hurricane Jerry could move northward.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Jerry will pass north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico.