The National Hurricane Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are warning that Tropical Storm Dorian could become a category 2 hurricane by the time it makes landfall on the east coast of Florida over the Labor Day weekend.
As much as 10 inches of rain could drench some parts of Florida.
On Wednesday morning the center of the storm was located about 60 miles southeast of St. Croix.
“Heavy rainfall over portions of Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands could produce flash flooding during the next couple of days. Heavy rains are expected to occur over portions of the Bahamas and Florida this week and into early next week,” the hurricane center website states.
President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for Puerto Rico, which allows money and resources to be put in place ahead of the storm, which could bring more damage to the island hit by Hurricane Maria just short of two years ago.
Hurricane watches have been posted for a wide swath of the Carribean, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra. Tropical storm warnings are in place for U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Samana.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted that residents should be prepared for the coming storm.
Based on the current track of #TropicalStormDorian, all residents on the East Coast should prepare for impacts, including strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding. Make sure to have your supplies ready and follow @FLSERT and local media for the latest updates on the forecast.
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