Depression Becomes Tropical Storm Josephine

Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 13, 2020 (Cayman Compass): The US National Hurricane Center on Thursday upgraded Tropical Depression 11 to Tropical Storm Josephine, making it the 10th named storm for the 2020 hurricane season.

The NHC said the storm poses no immediate hazard to land.

However, it advised the Leeward Islands to monitor the progress of the system.

Josephine is moving toward the west-northwest at almost 16 miles per hour, and forecasters said this general motion is expected to continue for the next few days, followed by a turn toward the northwest late this weekend or early next week.

“On the forecast track, the center of Josephine is expected to pass to the northeast of the Leeward Islands over the weekend,” the NHC said in its mid-afternoon advisory.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with higher gusts.

Forecasters said they expect some strengthening through Friday night.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles to the north of the centre of the system.

The Cayman Islands National Weather Service has said Tropical Storm Josephine poses no immediate threat to the Cayman Islands.