Tropical Storm Emily remains on a path that could be right over the east coast of Florida, according to forecasters from the National Hurricane Center. The storm remains poorly organized but could strengthen given conditions.
Tropical Storm Emily is about 145 miles south-southeast of The Dominican Republic and has a maximum sustained wind speed of 50 mph. The storm is still traveling westward but is expected to make a northward turn later today.
The Bahamas are under a Tropical Storm Watch, while Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands have been issued a Tropical Storm Warning.
The center of Tropical Storm Emily will move across Hispaniola late today and tonight and move into the southeastern Bahamas and area islands on Thursday.
If the storm holds together over the islands, Tropical Storm Emily could hit or skirt the southern tip of Florida around 2 a.m. Saturday. Forecasters have the east coast of the state within the forecast cone.
So far, Tropical Storm Emily has brought strong winds to the areas she is near and is expected to drop four to six inches of rain in Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Haiti and others, with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches being a possibility.
“These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides in areas of mountainous terrain,” the National Hurricane Center said.
