At 8:00 AM today the National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Matthew is still a Category 4 hurricane and is now 280 miles southwest of Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Matthew is moving toward the north near 6 mph. A general northward motion with some increase in forward speed is expected through Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will approach Jamaica and southwestern Haiti tonight, and eastern Cuba on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts. Matthew is a dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next couple of days, but Matthew is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through early Wednesday.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles.
Hurricane conditions are expected to reach Jamaica and Haiti tonight, and eastern Cuba Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach Jamaica and Haiti later today and eastern Cuba tonight, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
Matthew is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 15 to 25 inches across southern Haiti and the southwestern portion of the Dominican Republic, with possible isolated amounts of 40 inches. Across eastern Cuba and western Haiti, total rain accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected with possible isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches. Across eastern Jamaica, total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches possible. This rainfall will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and large and destructive waves could raise water levels by as much as 3 to 15 feet above normal tide levels on the coasts of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas.
The National Hurricane Center will issue the next next complete advisory at 2:00 PM EST.
