Fox 5 Meteorologist Alex Forbes is tracking a possible tropical system in the Atlantic. The system has a 70% chance of forming in the next seven days.
* Tropical Storm Jerry is strengthening and is expected to become a hurricane.
* A dip in the jet stream is predicted to steer Jerry away from the U.S. coastline.
* South Carolina's coast may still experience impacts from king tides and a potential nor'easter.
Tropical Storm Jerry continues to strengthen and is now expected to become a hurricane late Friday, Oct. 10 or Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Jerry is forecast to pass near or northeast of the northern Leeward Islands later today (Oct. 9) and tonight. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the area and tropical storm watches remain in effect.
A dip in the jet stream is expected to turn Jerry to the north and then curve it out to sea, keeping it away from South Carolina and the U.S., according to AccuWeather.
Although the tropical system may spare South Carolina, the coast is still likely to be impacted by king tides, which are bringing water levels between 7.5 and 9 feet higher than normal during high tide.
Meanwhile, a coastal storm -- potentially developing into the season's first nor'easter -- is on also on the verge of forming in coming days, possibly bringing coastal flooding and storm surge to the coastline.
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Highlights on what Tropical Storm Jerry is doing now
Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time.
* Location: 355 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands; 1,624 miles southeast of West Palm Beach
* Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph
* Movement: west-northwest at 20 mph
* Pressure: 999 mb
* Next advisory: 11 a .m.
Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Jerry
Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.
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How strong is Tropical Storm Jerry and where is it going?
How strong will Jerry get? Models vary. The National Hurricane Center said some models show Jerry strengthening into a major hurricane, while others predict little change in intensity over the next several days.
A major hurricane is one that is a Category 3 or stronger, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
At 8 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Jerry was located near latitude 15.7 North, longitude 58.4 West.
Jerry is moving toward the west-northwest near 20 mph. A turn toward the northwest is expected later today, followed by a slightly slower northward motion on Friday and Saturday.
On the forecast track, the center of Jerry is expected to pass near or to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands later today and tonight.
Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph, with higher gusts.
Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next few days, and Jerry could become a hurricane by late Friday or Saturday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 mb.
Watches, warnings associated with Tropical Storm Jerry
A tropical storm watch is in effect for:
* Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat
* St. Barthelemy and St. Martin
* Sint Maarten
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands
A tropical storm watch is issued when a tropical cyclone containing winds of 39 to 73 mph or higher poses a possible threat, generally within 48 hours. These winds may be accompanied by storm surge, coastal flooding, and/or river flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
Is there a hurricane coming toward South Carolina?
No. The only named storm in the Atlantic is Tropical Storm Jerry, and it's still unclear where it is headed, although a dip in the jet stream is expected to help the system curve north and then eastward before dissipating in the open Atlantic, following similar paths to Erin, Humberto and Imelda.
South Carolina weather watches and warnings
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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at [email protected].