Although it was not very well organized, bands in the southeastern part of Tropical Storm Jerry dropped heavy rain on some of the Northern Leeward Islands on Friday morning. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Jerry was located at latitude 19.8°N and longitude 63.3°W which put the center about 110 miles (175 km) north of the Northern Leeward Islands. Jerry was moving toward the northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 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 1006 mb.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and Sint Maarten.
Tropical Storm Jerry weakened on Thursday night. The circulation around Jerry was not very well organized on Friday morning. Strong easterly winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere continued to push the bottom part of Tropical Storm Jerry to the northwest of the middle and upper level circulations. Bands near the center of the low level circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. The bands in the western and northern sides of Jerry’s circulation also consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southeastern part of Tropical Storm Jerry. Some of those thunderstorms were dropping heavy rain on the Northern Leeward Islands.
The strongest winds were occurring in the bands of thunderstorms in the southeastern part of Tropical Storm Jerry. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) in the eastern side of Jerry’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) in the northwestern quadrant of Tropical Storm Jerry. The winds in the southwestern quadrant of Jerry were blowing at less than tropical storm force.
Tropical Storm Jerry will move through an environment that will be mostly unfavorable for development during the next 24 hours. Jerry will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level low that is north of Puerto Rico. The upper level low will produce westerly winds that will blow toward the top of Jerry’s circulation. Since strong easterly winds are blowing in the lower levels of the atmosphere, there will continue to be strong vertical wind shear. The strong vertical wind shear will inhibit intensification. Tropical Storm Jerry could weaken during the next 24 hours because of the strong vertical wind shear. The vertical wind shear could decrease during the weekend, when Jerry moves into a region where the winds in the lower level will blow from the south.
Tropical Storm Jerry will move around the western end of a high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Jerry toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Jerry will move away from the Northern Leeward Islands on Friday.
Tropical Storm Jerry will continue to drop heavy rain on some of the Northern Leeward Islands on Friday. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.
Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Subtropical Storm Karen formed at the center of an occluded extratropical cyclone north of the Azores. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Karen was located at latitude 45.3°N and longitude 32.1°W which put the center about 570 miles (915 km) north-northwest of the Azores. Karen was moving toward the northeast at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 998 mb.
