BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — A tropical storm watch has gone into effect for several Caribbean islands as Tropical Storm Jerry is forecast to become a hurricane on Thursday.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the storm is located about 835 miles east southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and has maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (mph).

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, St Barthelemy, St Martin, Sint Maarten, Saba , St Eustatius, Guadeloupe and the adjacent islands.

The NHC said that interests elsewhere in the northern Leeward Islands and the British and US Virgin Islands should monitor the progress of Jerry, the 10th named storm of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season that ends in November.

The NHC said that Jerry is moving toward the west-northwest near 23 mph and that this general motion is expected to continue with a decrease in forward speed during the next couple of days, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest and north beginning on Friday.

“On the forecast track, the core of the system is expected to be near or to the north of the northern Leeward Islands late Thursday and Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and Jerry is forecast to become a hurricane on Thursday,” the NHC said.

The NHC said that on Thursday into early Friday, rainfall of between two to four inches is expected across the Leeward Islands with a risk of flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain.

It said swells generated by Jerry are expected to reach the Leeward and Windward Islands on Thursday, then spread westward toward the Greater Antilles on Friday.

“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”