KINGSTON, Jamaica – In its 5:00am bulletin the Meteorological Service said that the centre of Tropical Storm Leslie was located near latitude 17.8 degrees north and 53.5 degrees west or about 885 kilometres east of the Leeward Islands.

Leslie is moving toward the west northwest near 28 kilometres per hour. A turn toward the northwest with a decrease in forward speed is expected tonight and should continue through Sunday. On the forecast track, the centre of Leslie is expected to pass well to the northeast of the Leeward Islands.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 kilometres per hour, with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Leslie could become a hurricane later today or tonight.

Meanwhile Hurricane Kirk is moving faster towards the Northeast.

At 4:00am, the centre of Kirk was located near latitude 35.3 degrees north and longitude 48.2 degrees west.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 120 kilometres per hour, with higher gusts. Kirk is a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale.

Neither Tropical Storm Leslie nor Hurricane Kirk are a threat to Jamaica.