- Tropical Storm Matthew has winds up to 65 mph

- Forecast to be a hurricane over Caribbean by Thursday

- Significant impacts to Jamaica and Cuba possible by Monday

Update Thursday 9 am: Tropical storm Matthew is forecast to strengthen into a category one hurricane by Thursday night.  Matthew strengthened slightly overnight Wednesday as it moved into the eastern Caribbean.  The system now has maximum sustained winds up to 65 miles per hour.

Matthew is still forecast to curve north on Saturday, but where that northern turn occurs will determine if the system will have any impacts to the Florida and the U.S. The outcome still remains uncertain.

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Hurricane Hunter Data Live
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Note: Data from the aircraft can sometimes be erroneous and should not be assumed accurate at all times.
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The thirteenth named storm of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season formed late Wednesday morning just east of the Lesser Antilles.  A hurricane hunter mission found sustained winds of tropical storm force at 60 mph, and a low level closed center of circulation 35 miles east-northeast of St.Vincent.  Matthew was moving west at 21 mph and expected to bring tropical storm conditions to Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and St. Lucia today.

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Tropical Storm Matthew is forecast to strengthen into a Hurricane by Friday as it moves into the central Caribbean. A turn to the northwest is projected to occur on Saturday, which places numerous islands in the Caribbean at risk.  The forecast beyond this point remains much more uncertain.

A credible forecast beyond five days on the eventual track and strength of Matthew would not be credible at this time. Several factors could influence the systems track over the next week, including the proximity to land, the speed at which it moves, and most importantly when and where it strengthens. It is far too soon if or which part of the U.S. (if any) would experience impacts from Matthew.

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