The Meteorological Service has continued the HURRICANE WARNING for Jamaica as Hurricane Elsa continues to race across the central Caribbean Sea.
At 4:00 a.m. the centre of Hurricane Elsa was located near Latitude 16.2 degrees North, Longitude 69.0 degrees West, or about 790 kilometres east-southeast of Morant Point, Jamaica.
This is also about 310 kilometres east-southeast of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic.
Elsa’s maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 120 km/h with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today but slow weakening is forecast on Sunday.
The Met Service says Elsa is moving very quickly towards the west-northwest near 50 km/h however, a decrease in forward speed is expected later today and Sunday, followed by a turn towards the northwest on Sunday night or Monday.
On its forecast track, the centre of Hurricane Elsa will move near the southern coast of Hispaniola later today and tonight and northeast of Jamaica on Sunday morning before moving over parts of eastern Cuba later in the day.
Weather conditions over Jamaica will start to deteriorate this evening with widespread rain spreading from eastern parishes to the rest of the island. Wind speeds will gradually climb to tropical-storm-force during the night and early on Sunday.
With dangerous sea conditions continuing across the central Caribbean today, all small craft operators, including fishers from the cays and banks, are reminded to remain in safe harbour until all warning messages have been lifted and sea conditions have returned to normal.
