Forecasters late Sept. 30 upgraded Matthew to a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest in the Atlantic since 2007, but downgraded the storm to a Cat 4 by early Oct. 1.
Early Oct. 3, as The Islander went to press, Matthew was threatening Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. Meteorologist Domenica Davis with The Weather Channel said the storm, with maximum sustained winds near 130 mph, could deliver a “devastating blow” to the islands.
At 6 a.m. Oct. 3, Matthew was about 230 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and already delivering torrents of rain.
Hurricane warnings were in effect all of Jamaica and Haiti and parts of Cuba, where the United States was airlifting personnel from its Navy base at Guantanamo Bay.
Matthew was expected to remain a powerful storm into Oct. 4.
The National Weather Service said it was too early to forecast whether the hurricane would directly impact Florida.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement Sept. 30 encouraging Floridians to remain “vigilant and be prepared for any impacts this storm may have on our state.”
For updates on the hurricane, go to www.nhc.noaa.gov.