MIAMI (AP) — Forecasters say hurricane hunters are finding Hurricane Matthew extremely dangerous, with 150 mph (242 kph) winds.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the Category 4 hurricane is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north-northwest of Punta Gallinas, Colombia, and about 440 miles (710 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm is moving west-southwest at 9 mph (15 kph).
In addition to a hurricane watch for Jamaica, authorities also issued a tropical storm watch for the southwestern coast of Haiti. The tropical storm watch is in effect from Haiti’s southern border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. A tropical storm warning remains in effect along the coast from the Colombia-Venezuela border to Riohacha.
Forecasters say Matthew is expected to turn toward the west-northwest by Saturday night and then toward the northwest on Sunday. The center says the storm’s expected path over the central Caribbean is forecast to bring Matthew near Jamaica on Sunday.
