As of Tuesday morning, Dorian was about 15 miles west-northwest off St. Lucia and is currently moving west-northwest at 13 mph. It has sustained winds of 50 mph.
As it moves toward Hispaniola, it is expected to weaken before going to the Bahamas. By Saturday, Dorian is expected to remain a tropical storm as it moves closer to Florida’s east coast.
“There is a chance for rapid intensification just before making landfall somewhere along our east coast,” meteorologist Troy Bridges told the news website.
He said Dorian could make landfall in Florida as a tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane over the weekend.
“We will see the impacts in Central Florida, including some rain from Dorian, well before landfall, possibly by late Friday or early Saturday,” Bridges added. “It is still too early to tell specifics about our impacts, however.”
The hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 1.
Watches and Warnings
The government of the Dominican Republic issued a tropical storm warning from Isla Saona to Samana, the NHC said.A tropical storm warning is also in effect for Martinique and Puerto Rico.
A tropical storm watch has been discontinued for Grenada and its dependencies.
The NHC added there is now a hurricane watch 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. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours,” the agency wrote on its website.
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