Hurricane Jose strengthened to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm Friday, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm was about 265 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands at 8 p.m. ET Friday, moving west-northwest at 14 mph, the hurricane center said.
A hurricane warning was put into effect Friday for Barbuda and Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barts. A hurricane watch remained in effect for Antigua.
The eye of Irma passed over Barbuda, a tiny Caribbean island of about 1,800 residents, on Wednesday, destroying telecommunication systems and cell towers. The storm damaged about 95% of the buildings on the island, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.
This is the first time on record that the Atlantic has had two hurricanes with winds of more than 150 mph at the same time, Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach said.
Fluctuations in Hurricane Jose’s intensity are possible for the next day or so, the National Hurricane Center said, and the storm is expected to gradually weaken after that.
In addition, Hurricane Katia in the Gulf of Mexico made landfall in Mexico late Friday with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and, the National Hurricane Center said.
