By Bill Chappell
Puerto Rico (click here) and parts of the Dominican Republic are now under a hurricane watch due to Tropical Storm Dorian, meaning those places could see dangerous conditions within 48 hours.
Dorian's maximum sustained winds weakened to 50 mph from 60 mph overnight, according to the National Hurricane Center. As of 8 a.m. ET, the compact storm was about 15 miles west-northwest of St. Lucia, after crossing into the eastern Caribbean Sea on Tuesday morning.
"Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours," the NHC says, "and Dorian is forecast to be near hurricane strength when it moves close to Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola."
Dry air around Dorian has tamped down the storm's strength. And the hurricane center says the system could also weaken substantially when it passes over large land masses in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola....
