UPDATE: Hurricane Matthew now moving northward slightly away from Jamaica

Hurricane Matthew has now started moving north-northwestward after remaining stationary in the Caribbean waters for sometime late Saturday evening.

On the forecast track, the centre of the storm will now pass further east of Jamaica than earlier projected. But this means the potential for more trouble for Haiti.‎

Both Jamaica and Haiti remain under a hurricane warning as the effects of the extremely dangerous category four system are expected t‎o start bearing down in the next 24 to 36 hours.‎

Matthew became the fifth hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season early Thursday afternoon and rose to a rare, short-lived category five system by Friday - the first category five system since Hurricane Felix in 2007.‎

The Weather Channel says tropical storm force winds may begin late Sunday.

There will also be torrential rains with some places expected to receive up to 25 inches.

According to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, maximum sustained winds are remain near 240 km/h (150 mph), with higher gusts.

It says some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next couple of days, but Matthew is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through Monday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 km (25 miles) from the centre and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 335 km (205 miles).