MIAMI - Tropical Storm Jeanne formed Tuesday in the southeast Caribbean, prompting a spate of hurricane warnings and watches for the islands.
Jeanne had top sustained winds of 60 mph and could become a hurricane today, according to forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It was expected to drop 8 to 10 inches of rain.
Hurricane warnings were issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while a hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings were issued for parts of the Dominican Republic.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis.
Jeanne was on a course that could take it to Florida, but it was more than a week away from the state and the storm could change course, said Hector Guerrero, a meteorologist at the hurricane center.
At 8 p.m., Jeanne was about 65 miles southeast of St. Croix and moving west-northwest near 10 mph. The storm was expected to reach Puerto Rico this afternoon.
Jeanne is the 10th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Three have hit Florida, and Ivan is threatening to hit the Panhandle this week.
