Tropical Storm Nears Puerto Rico, Florida Likely Next

The Weather Channel reports:

Tropical Storm Dorian is pelting the Lesser Antilles with heavy rain and gusty winds this morning, and the storm could go on to impact Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas and possibly Florida over the next several days.

Dorian’s center passed near the south coast of Barbados late Monday night, producing a wind gust to 55 mph at Grantley Adams International Airport. The worst rain and wind impacts from Dorian are now being felt in portions of the Lesser Antilles.

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) calls for Dorian to be near hurricane strength as it nears Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. However, the intensity forecast is very challenging. Sea surface temperatures are warm ahead of the system, favoring intensification.

Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency ahead of tropical storm Dorian, which is expected to become a hurricane. People are stocking up on food and generators.

30K homes in the U.S. territory are still covered with blue tarps after damage from 2017’s deadly Hurricane Maria. pic.twitter.com/c70nI5xeLq

— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 27, 2019

11 AM EDT: Here are the latest Key Messages on #Dorian. For more information, see https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB, @NWSSanJuan and your local meteorological service. pic.twitter.com/OV3oSK6Eec

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 27, 2019