Tropical Storm Jerry Strengthens in the Atlantic and Could Become a Hurricane This Weekend

Tropical Storm Jerry Intensifies

Could Become a Hurricane Soon

Caribbean Under Tropical Alert

According to the EFE news agency, Tropical Storm Jerry is moving across the Atlantic and could reach hurricane status within the next few hours, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The meteorological agency warned that the system is strengthening “modestly” but remains stable as it moves northwest toward the Northern Leeward Islands.

In its latest report, the NHC stated that Jerry was located about 570 kilometers (354 miles) east-southeast of these islands, with maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h (62 mph) and moving at 31 km/h (19 mph).

The storm’s current path suggests it could begin producing swells affecting Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands within the next 48 hours, while gradually intensifying into a hurricane.

Alert in the Caribbean as Jerry Approaches

Tropical Storm “Jerry” grows in the Atlantic and is forecast to become a hurricane this weekend. https://t.co/Y45oFbwSns

— El Comentario (@ComentarioUdeC) October 9, 2025

As the storm advances, a tropical storm watch has been issued for several eastern Caribbean islands, including Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat.

The National Hurricane Center urged both the British and U.S. Virgin Islands to remain alert to official reports and take precautions due to possible increases in wave activity and heavy rainfall.

“Swells generated by Tropical Storm Jerry are beginning to reach the Leeward and Windward Islands. These swells will spread westward toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight, and toward the rest of the Greater Antilles over the next two days,” the agency stated.

Local authorities have begun preventive work in ports and coastal areas in anticipation of minor flooding and sustained winds over the weekend.

NHC Forecasts Further Strengthening of Tropical Storm Jerry

Tropical Storm Jerry Strengthens in the Atlantic and Could Become a Hurricane – PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Jerry could experience “modest strengthening over the next 12 to 24 hours,” with gradual intensification possibly making it a hurricane by Friday night or Saturday.

Although it does not currently pose a direct threat to the U.S. mainland, the NHC emphasized that constant monitoring is necessary due to the potential for sudden changes in tropical systems’ intensity.

The agency noted that Jerry’s structure shows signs of organization, with a defined center and more compact cloud bands — factors that support its development in the warm Atlantic waters.

Current atmospheric conditions, including low wind shear and high ocean temperatures, remain favorable for further strengthening, at least in the short term.

Active Hurricane Season, According to NOAA

Photo: Shutterstock

Jerry has become the tenth tropical storm recorded this year in the Atlantic basin, in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified as “above-normal activity.”

The 2025 list of named systems includes Hurricanes Erin, Gabrielle, Humberto, and Imelda, as well as Tropical Storms Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Fernand, and now Jerry.

Of these, only Chantal made landfall in the United States, causing two deaths in North Carolina in July.

The rest have remained mostly over open Atlantic waters, though several have produced swells, torrential rains, and strong winds in Caribbean island regions.

Jerry and an Unusual Hurricane Season

NOAA has forecast a “higher-than-average” hurricane season, with between 13 and 18 tropical storms and 5 to 9 hurricanes — exceeding historical averages.

Experts attribute this unusual activity to elevated ocean temperatures and atmospheric pattern shifts, including the transition from El Niño (which typically suppresses storms) toward neutral or favorable conditions for cyclone formation.

The National Hurricane Center reminded the public that September is usually the most active month of the Atlantic hurricane season and that storms like Jerry can intensify rapidly before weakening as they approach the western Caribbean.

Meanwhile, meteorologists continue to monitor other low-pressure areas in the tropical Atlantic that could develop in the coming days.