A tropical storm warning is in effect for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the eastern Dominican Republic as Tropical Storm Dorian heads toward the Florida coast.
The most recent map from the National Hurricane Center shows the storm making landfall around Orlando on Sunday — right in the middle of the busy Labor Day weekend.
As of the NHC’s 5 p.m. update, Dorian has sustained winds of 50 mph and is located about 330 miles southeast of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Samana. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
Dorian is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph, and this motion is expected to continue through tonight, followed by a turn toward the northwest on Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Dorian will move across the northeastern Caribbean Sea tonight, pass over or near western and central Puerto Rico on Wednesday, and move near or just east of eastern Hispaniola Wednesday night. On Thursday night and Friday, the center of Dorian is forecast to move near or to the east of the Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamas.
Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours, and Dorian is forecast to be near hurricane strength when it approaches Puerto Rico on Wednesday. Some weakening is expected after Dorian moves across the higher terrain of Puerto Rico Wednesday night. Dorian is expected to gradually re-strengthen on Thursday and Friday while passing near or to the east of the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas.
Some areas could see 8-10 inches of rain, and potentially life-threatening flash floods.
Read more at the National Hurricane Center
