Hurricane Jose strengthened to an ‘extremely dangerous’ Category 4 storm on Friday with maximum sustained winds of 150mph.
According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was moving west-northwest toward the northern Leeward Islands at a rapid 18mph.
Jose is expected to pass near or east of the northeastern Leeward Islands on Saturday and is currently threatening several islands that were seriously damaged by Hurricane Irma.
Hurricane Jose strengthened to an ‘extremely dangerous’ Category 4 storm on Friday with maximum sustained winds of 150mph. This image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Katia (left), Hurricane Irma (center), and Hurricane Jose (right) on Thursday in the Atlantic Ocean
Jose is expected to pass near or east of the northeastern Leeward Islands on Saturday and is currently threatening several islands that were seriously damaged by Hurricane Irma before heading out to sea on Monday
As of Friday morning, a hurricane warning was in effect for the islands of Barbuda and Anguilla, St Martin, and St Barthemy – all islands that were just seriously damaged by Irma.
Barbuda, a tiny Caribbean island of about 1,600 residents, was one of the most severely impacted when the eye of the hurricane passed over it on Wednesday, destroying telecommunication systems and cell towers.
According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, the storm damaged about 90 percent of the buildings, leaving the nation ‘literally a rubble’.
Across the US Virgin Islands, thousands of tourists were trapped, power lines were knocked down and leaves were knocked off trees.
On the island of St Martin, authorities reported looting and gunfire in St. Martin, and a curfew was imposed, reported several news outlets.
Meanwhile, the island of St Thomas saw its harbor in ruins in addition to hundreds of homes and dozens of businesses damaged.
Hurricane Irma weakened from a Category 5 to a still-frightening Category 4 on Friday morning with winds of 155mph as it heads toward Cuba and the Florida coastline.
This is the first time on record that the Atlantic Ocean has had two storms with 150-plus mph winds at the same time, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach (Hurricane Irma, left, and Hurricane Jose, right, are spotted in the Atlantic )
Hurricane Jose (right) could bring up to 10 inches of rain and cause further flooding in parts of the Caribbean as well as hamper relief efforts in the aftermath of Irma
Irma is supposed to weaken but not before causing further chaos and destruction. Meanwhile, Jose could bring up to 10 inches of rain and cause further flooding in parts of the Caribbean.
This is the first time on record that the Atlantic Ocean has had two storms with 150-plus mph winds at the same time, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach.
‘I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to know that further damage is imminent,’ said Inspector Frankie Thomas of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda at a news conference.
However, meteorologists say Jose will likely head back out to sea by Monday.
‘It’s insult added to injury definitely, but nothing compared to what they already went through,’ said Jeff Masters of the private forecasting service Weather Underground. ‘It’s going to hamper relief efforts, so that’s a big deal.’