TAMPA (FOX 13) -
Parts of southeastern Florida are under a tropical storm watch as Hurricane Sandy moves through the Caribbean, gaining momentum as strikes Jamaica.
The story made landfall near Kingston this afternoon with winds estimated at 80 mph. The latest track has Sandy staying as a Category 1 hurricane as it moves through the Caribbean and then weakening as it moves up off the east coast of Florida.
"It probably won't get that opportunity to re-strengthen after that," FOX 13 Meteorologist Jim Weber said.
For now, the track has it staying that way -- not causing too many problems for Florida's coast, but should it shift further west it could bring even stronger chances of high wind and rains and rough surf.
Still, people living along the east coast should expect to see some effect of Sandy, which Wednesday morning was packing winds as high as 80 mph. The watch extends from the Orlando area all the way down to the Florida Keys.
The latest track on MyFoxHurricane.com has Sandy moving out into the Atlantic by early next week.
