Tropical Storm Dorian could become Atlantic season's first hurricane

Tropical Storm Dorian was barreling toward the Caribbean Monday morning. It could hit Barbados Tuesday and Puerto Rico by late Wednesday.

Forecasters said the fourth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season strengthened overnight as it moves toward the Lesser Antilles. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said that Dorian could intensify to near hurricane strength over the eastern Caribbean Sea by Tuesday.

As of 8 a.m. ET Monday, Dorian's center was located about 205 miles east-southeast of Barbados and 315 miles east-southeast of St. Lucia and was moving west at about 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds remained at 60 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 45 miles from the center of the storm.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A tropical storm watch was issued for Dominica, Martinique, Grenada and its dependencies.

Forecasters said Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hispaniola should monitor Dorian's progress.

Several linches of rain are expected in affected areas.

They said Dorian could be near hurricane strength on Tuesday and and Wednesday while it's over the eastern Caribbean Sea.

The National Weather Service office in Tampa Bay tweeted Sunday it's "too early to speculate" if Dorian will impact Florida.