On Saturday, October 11, 2025, the Atlantic Ocean became the stage for Tropical Storm Jerry, a system that prompted close monitoring by meteorologists and concern across the Caribbean. According to the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. advisory, Jerry was positioned 460 miles south-southeast of Bermuda, churning northward at a steady 16 mph. Its maximum sustained winds clocked in at 50 mph, painting a picture of a storm with plenty of punch, but one that was also expected to lose steam in the coming days.
But Jerry’s story isn’t just about wind speeds and coordinates. The storm’s reach extended far beyond its center, with swells radiating out to touch the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas. For residents and visitors in these locations, Jerry’s impact wasn’t measured in miles per hour but in the dangerous surf and rip currents it triggered. As the National Hurricane Center warned, “Swells generated by Jerry are affecting the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Bahamas. These swells will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
By late Saturday morning, the specifics of Jerry’s location had shifted slightly. Another National Hurricane Center update placed the storm 435 miles north of the Northern Leeward Islands and 545 miles south of Bermuda. The wind speed, too, was revised upward to 60 mph—an increase that, while not making Jerry a hurricane, certainly kept it on the radar for anyone in its path. The system’s movement remained consistent, continuing its northward trajectory at 16 mph.
Forecasts pointed to a weakening trend, with the storm expected to gradually lose strength over the next few days. Meteorologists wrote, “Some gradual weakening is forecast over the next few days.” In fact, the analysts at the National Hurricane Center went so far as to suggest that “Jerry could degenerate into a trough of low pressure at any time.” For those who track storms, that’s a technical way of saying Jerry’s days as an organized tropical system might be numbered.
Yet, for all the talk of weakening, the hazards Jerry posed remained all too real. The storm’s broad field of swells was already impacting the Leeward and Windward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos. The National Hurricane Center made it clear that these swells were expected to spread toward the Bahamas as Saturday progressed, increasing the risk for anyone venturing near the water. “Swells generated by Jerry are affecting the Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, likely causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” meteorologists stated. For those seeking more information, a depiction of rip current risk for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands was made available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?ripCurrents.
In the Caribbean, rip currents are a perennial hazard during hurricane season, even from storms that never make landfall. These powerful channels of water can sweep even experienced swimmers out to sea, and with Jerry’s swells reaching so many islands, warnings took on added urgency. Local authorities, lifeguards, and emergency services across the region were on high alert, urging beachgoers to heed red flags and stay out of the water. After all, as any veteran of the tropics knows, it’s often the indirect effects of a storm—dangerous surf, flooding rains, or landslides—that leave the most lasting mark.
For the islands affected, Jerry’s approach was a reminder of the region’s vulnerability. In Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, memories of past storms linger. Even a tropical storm, especially one generating significant swells, can disrupt ferry service, close schools, and force businesses to shutter temporarily. The Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos, too, have seen their share of storm-driven chaos. As Jerry’s swells rolled in, officials in these territories kept a close watch, ready to issue advisories or order evacuations if conditions worsened.
Meanwhile, in Bermuda, residents watched Jerry’s progress with a mix of concern and cautious optimism. The island’s location—often squarely in the path of Atlantic storms—means that preparedness is a way of life. But with Jerry forecast to weaken and possibly dissipate before reaching Bermuda, there was hope that the island would be spared a direct hit. Still, as the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Emergency kits were checked, shutters secured, and local authorities kept the public informed with regular updates.
For meteorologists, Jerry was a textbook example of a late-season tropical storm: unpredictable, capable of rapid changes in strength, and dangerous in ways that go beyond wind and rain. The National Hurricane Center’s advisories, published and updated throughout the day, offered a lifeline of information for those in the storm’s projected path. Their message was clear—while Jerry might weaken, its swells and rip currents posed a serious risk to life and property.
The timing of Jerry’s approach was also notable. October is typically a quieter month for Atlantic hurricanes, with the season’s peak having passed in September. But as Jerry demonstrated, the tropics can still spring surprises late in the year. For those living in hurricane-prone regions, the lesson was unmistakable: vigilance is required until the season’s official end.
As Saturday drew to a close, Jerry’s future remained uncertain. Would it hold together as a tropical storm, or would it fizzle out into a harmless trough of low pressure? Meteorologists continued to monitor the system, updating forecasts as new data came in. For now, though, the focus remained on the very real dangers Jerry’s swells posed to communities from the Leeward Islands to the Bahamas.
For islanders and travelers alike, Jerry served as a timely reminder of nature’s power and unpredictability. While the storm itself might weaken, the hazards it brought—life-threatening surf and rip currents—were anything but diminished. As the National Hurricane Center’s advisories made clear, respect for the sea and attention to official warnings remain the best defenses against even a weakening storm.
In the end, Jerry’s legacy may not be measured in wind damage or rainfall totals, but in the vigilance it inspired across the Caribbean. With hurricane season still underway, communities are reminded once again to stay prepared, stay informed, and never underestimate the ocean’s reach.