Matthew strengthened to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Caribbean on Friday and remains a dangerous threat to Jamaica,
Thanks to a front sweeping in from the north, the hurricane is expected to turn north so it will not impact Texas.
As of 1 p.m. Central, Matthew had maximum-sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the
A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of the coast of Colombia.
A hurricane is classified as "major" when its sustained winds reach 111 mph. A major hurricane is a Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It's the first major hurricane in September in the Caribbean since Felix in 2007.
Sometime on Saturday or early Sunday, Matthew should make its long-anticipated northwest or northward turn in the
Hurricane watches or warnings are likely to be posted in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas over the next few days. The hurricane center said a hurricane watch may be required for Jamaica later Friday.
In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said government services have been placed on high alert, according to the Jamaica Observer newspaper. Thursday, fishermen on Jamaica’s cays and banks were advised to evacuate immediately and return to the mainland.
Other small craft operators in the island’s coastal waters were also told to return to port, while those in port were advised not to venture out, the newspaper reported.
Whether or not impacts will be indirect from a hurricane at sea or direct from a landfall in the U.S. are still unclear, AccuWeather said.
"It is too soon to rule out possible hurricane impacts from Matthew in Florida," according to the hurricane center.
Even if Matthew turns toward the sea next week, rough surf and heavy seas would occur along the Atlantic coast.
The National Hurricane Center also says a hurricane watch may be required for Jamaica later in the day. It also says the government of Aruba has discontinued a tropical storm watch for that island.