MIAMI — A weather system located in the southwestern Caribbean is anticipated to grow and intensify this week, leading to the issuance of a tropical storm warning for Jamaica and a hurricane watch for the Cayman Islands as of Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center based in Miami.

The disturbance may also deliver substantial rainfall to regions of Cuba and Florida, along with the northern Gulf Coast in the coming days, the center has indicated.

At 4 p.m. EST on Sunday, the system was reported to be approximately 345 miles (555 kilometers) south of Kingston, Jamaica, featuring maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). It was progressing northeastward at a speed of 7 mph (11 kph), with a potential change in direction toward the north and subsequently northwest.

The formation is predicted to develop into a tropical storm on Monday, with a steady increase in strength expected. A tropical storm is characterized by sustained winds ranging from 39 mph (62.8 kph) to 73 mph (117.5 kph). Winds that reach or exceed 74 mph (119.1 kph) classify as hurricane-force winds.

The system is forecasted to be near Jamaica by late Monday and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday. The hurricane center has urged residents in Cuba and the Florida Keys to stay alert to the storm’s developments. The western Caribbean is expected to experience heavy rainfall, with amounts of 3 to 6 inches (76 to 152 mm), and local totals reaching up to 9 inches (229 mm) in parts of Jamaica and southern Cuba. This could result in flooding and mudslides in these areas.

The heavy rainfall is projected to extend into Florida and nearby regions of the southeastern United States by the middle to the late part of the week, according to the hurricane center’s assessments.