The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday warned that Tropical Storm Dorian could be a major category 3 hurricane by Sunday on a possible path towards the Florida peninsula.
As of the 10 a.m. advisory, Dorian's maximum winds were at 70 miles per hour as the tropical storm moved northwest at 13 miles per hour.
Dorian is expected to reach hurricane strength sometime in the next 12 hours. Hurricane warnings were in effect for the Virgin Islands, while Puerto Rico was under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning.
Further strengthening is expected as Dorian moves into what the NHC called a favorable environment of low wind shear and warm waters, and the system could be a major category 3 hurricane with max winds of 115 miles per hour approaching the Florida or southeastern U.S. coast by the Labor Day weekend.
Now-Tropical Depression Erin remains offshore and moving north-northwest Wednesday. A turn to the northeast is expected soon, with Erin or its remnants reaching Nova Scotia by Friday.