Hurricane Beryl projected to make landfall smack dab in southern Jamaica.

Hurricane Beryl, the Category 5 storm powering its ways through the Caribbean, is now predicted to make landfall on the southern region of Jamaica by Wednesday.

Initial forecasts had shown the centre of the hurricane passing south of the island, however, official forecasts from the National Hurricane Centre now show the centre of the hurricane making landfall in southern Jamaica by Wednesday.

The strongest winds of a hurricane are located in the eye of the storm.

The National Hurricane Centre said winds are expected to first reach tropical storm strength early on Wednesday, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous. It added that a storm surge could raise water levels by as much as five to eight feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds along the immediate coast of Jamaica.

Furthermore, the Centre said Hurricane Beryl is expected to produce rainfall of four to eight inches, with the potential of up to 12 inches, across Jamaica and the southwestern Haitian Peninsula through late Wednesday.

It must be noted that even if Beryl does not make landfall in Jamaica, its outer bands will bring significant impact with hurricane gust winds and heavy rainfall.

Beryl is one of the earliest hurricanes on record for this year's Atlantic hurricane season.