Hurricane Matthew meanders, heavy rains and winds expected to start Monday morning……Matthew is the strongest storm in the Atlantic since 2007
As of 11 am Sunday, while hurricane Matthew continued to meander, the storm was expected to move northwest to northward, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
According to local meteorologists, if the storm stays on the projected path, it could have a serious impact on Jamaica.
Matthew is reportedly drifting towards the northwest, near three miles per hour and a slow northwestward motion is expected to continue through Sunday night.
Forecasters predict that, at about 2:00 am on Monday, the Eastern section of the island will begin to feel storm force winds and heavy rains.
The eye of Matthew, which was originally expected to pass by the island at 8:00 AM on Monday, is now expected to pass Tuesday at 2:00 PM as the hurricane has slowed down to three miles per hour.
Forecasters say Matthew has become a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest in the Atlantic since 2007.
Matthew is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history and briefly reached the top classification, Category 5, becoming the strongest hurricane here since Felix in 2007.
The latest projections show Matthew’s center likely to strike the southwestern tip of Haiti on Monday. A hurricane warning has been issued for the impoverished country which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
Deforestation has greatly increased the potential for devastating floods and landslides on Haiti and the country’s ramshackle homes and buildings are vulnerable to storms.
After passing Jamaica and Haiti, Matthew is expected to reach Cuba late Monday, potentially making a direct hit on the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, where authorities said they were evacuating non-essential personnel, including about 700 family members of those serving there.
Everyone remaining behind was being told to take shelter, said Julie Ann Ripley, a spokeswoman. There are about 5,500 people living on the base, including 61 men held at the detention center.
The forecast track would also carry Matthew into the Bahamas, with an outside chance of a brush with Florida, though that would be several days away.
“It’s too early to rule out what impacts, if any, would occur in the United States and Florida,” said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman at the Hurricane Center.
