The National Hurricane Center in Miami (USA) has just announced that a very large moisture mass is developing in the southwestern Caribbean region and will strengthen this week, at the same time issuing a hurricane warning for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (a British overseas territory).

According to the center, the weather system will bring heavy rain to Cuba, Florida (USA), and the northern Gulf of Mexico this week. As of 4 p.m. (US time), this weather system is located 555 km south of Kingston, Jamaica, with maximum winds of 55 km/h. This air mass is moving northeast at a speed of 11 km/h.

On November 4, the air mass will strengthen into a tropical storm with steady increasing intensity. The tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 62.8 - 117.5 km/h. The storm is forecast to approach Jamaica on the evening of November 4 and the Cayman Islands on November 5 and 6. Therefore, the National Hurricane Center urges people in Cuba and the Florida Keys to monitor the storm's progress.

The Western Caribbean is forecast to receive 152mm of rain, while Jamaica and southern Cuba will see up to 229mm. Heavy rain is expected to hit Florida and surrounding areas of the southeastern United States by mid-week.