Tropical Storm Matthew has formed near the Windward Islands. TS Matthew is centered about 35 miles SE of St. Lucia or about 35 miles ENE of St. Vincent and is moving west at 21 mph. A westward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will move through the Windward Islands during the next couple of hours, and move over the eastern Caribbean Sea through Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles primarily to the northeast of the center. Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days and Matthew could become a hurricane by Friday.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the French Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. The government of Barbados has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Barbados, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands. The government of St. Lucia has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for St. Lucia.
Mathew is expect to make a sharp turn north on Sunday and track near Cuba and the Bahamas early next week.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday:
Location – 13.4°N 60.7°W
Moving – W at 21 mph
Min pressure – 1008 mb
Max sustained – 60 mph
