Oct. 6, 2001 – As Virgin Islands residents enjoyed a sunny Saturday, after a Friday filled with high winds and occasional heavy rain showers associated with Tropical Storm Iris, Tropical Depression 12 formed in the Atlantic Ocean.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, its location was 1,097 miles southeast of the Virgin Islands. It was centered at 11.2 degrees north latitude and 51.1 degrees west longitude. Sustained winds were clocked at 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. The system was moving west-northwest at 13 mph. The minimum pressure was 1008 millibars.
Forecaster Andy Roche at the National Weather Service in San Juan said Tropical Depression 12 is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Jerry within the next day or two. "It should be near our area on Tuesday," he said.
He said it was too soon to tell how close it would come. "We have to wait until it gets to the Lesser Antilles" to make a projection, he said.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Iris is nearly a hurricane as it heads for Jamaica and Cuba. Governments of both nations have posted hurricane warnings. The storm is expected to become a hurricane Saturday night or Sunday. As of 11 a.m. Saturday, Iris had sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving west-northwest at 16 mph. Its center was located at 16.7 degrees north latitude and 71.2 degrees west longitude.
In August, Colorado State professor William Gray predicted that 12 named storms would develop during the 2001 hurricane season. If Tropical Depression 12 becomes a tropical storm, it will be the 10th named storm.
Hurricane season runs until Nov. 30 so more tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes could still form.
