As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, the center of the newly formed Tropical Storm Jerry was located about 1,120 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands.
Jerry is moving toward the west near 23 mph. A decrease in forward speed and a turn to the west-northwest are expected during the next couple of days.
On the forecast track, the core of the system is expected to be near or to the north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts.
Steady strengthening is forecast, and Jerry is expected to become a Category 2 hurricane in a day or two.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1003 mb.
This system is expected to move quickly west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic, and then move near or north of the northern Leeward Islands on Thursday and Friday. Interests there should continue to monitor its progress.
Also in the southwestern Gulf, a trough of low pressure located over the Yucatan Peninsula is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
This system is expected to emerge over the Bay of Campeche later today, and some slow development is possible before it moves inland over southern Mexico late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Regardless of development, areas of heavy rain and gusty winds are likely across portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, and southern Mexico during the next couple of days. There is a 10 percent chance of developing in the next 2 to 7 days.