HURRICANE Danny is not a threat to Jamaica at the time, but the country’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), in collaboration with the Meteorological Service, was not taking anything for granted and is on standby as the weather system drew nearer to the Windward Islands last night.

“The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, in collaboration with the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, is maintaining a state of vigilance, while reviewing the country’s readiness as Hurricane Danny strengthens and moves closer to the Caribbean,” an ODPEM release said yesterday.

The National Hurricane Centre in Miami, United States, reported that at 2:00 pm yesterday the centre of Hurricane Danny was located near latitude 14.3N 48.6W or about 1,450 kilometres east of the Leeward Islands. The Category 3 hurricane was packing winds of 185 km/h but was expected to fluctuate in strength, becoming a tropical storm or possibly a tropical depression as it moves through the Caribbean.

On the projected path, the system could influence weather conditions in Jamaica in the latter part of next week, the ODPEM said.

The agency, meanwhile, has asked the public, between now and next week, to review their personal preparedness and readiness for response.

According to the ODPEM, the national disaster management mechanism has been alerted, parish disaster coordinators have been notified, and a liaison has commenced with national primary responders and the National Disaster Subcommittees. The ODPEM said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to the public.

Miami’s National Hurricane Centre said Danny, the first named hurricane for the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season, was yesterday moving forward at a speed of 10 mph, and that while there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect interests in the Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of the storm.

Hurricane Danny was moving towards the west-northwest and “this motion was expected to continue through last night, and a turn toward the west is expected today”, the National Hurricane Centre said.

It said, however, that Hurricane Danny was expected to encounter a less conducive environment, and weakening is forecast during the next two days.