There will be some fluctuation in Jose' s winds through Saturday, and then gradual weakening is expected
Hurricane Jose is «almost a Category 5» storm with 155 mph winds late Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.
The powerful storm has grown even stronger as it moves closer to the Caribbean islands of Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Martin/St. Maarten and St. Barthelemy. As of 11 p.m. ET Friday, the storm was located about 265 miles east southeast of the Leeward Islands.
There will be some fluctuation in Jose’s winds through Saturday, and then gradual weakening is expected.
The islands in Jose’s path were already devastated by Hurricane Irma, which struck earlier this week. Barbuda was reduced to rubble, BBC News’ Laura Bicker reported, as people evacuated for Jose.
«Be patient, we’re going to get you all out, » Prime Minister Gaston Browne told residents.
Tiffany Bender, a New York City woman trapped in St. Maarten during Irma, told CBSN that she had managed to escape to the only hotel island left standing.
«I cannot even describe or imagine ever going through something like this and to be on the verge of it again is absolutely terrifying, » Bender said.
Some of the Irma-ravaged islands could see tropical-storm force winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Jose, said Jeff Masters of the private forecasting service Weather Underground.
«It’s insult added to injury definitely, but nothing compared to what they already went through, » Masters said. «It’s going to hamper relief efforts, so that’s a big deal.»
