MIAMI _ Tropical Storm Laura's latest track has shifted south, taking most of Florida out of the forecast cone except the Florida Keys, which declared a local state of emergency.
Laura is set to cross directly over the northern Leeward Islands late Friday into Saturday and Puerto Rico sometime Saturday.
The newest model shows the storm, which has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, then going through the Florida Straits between the Florida Keys and Cuba Monday morning. It shows the storm entering the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane by midweek.
"The system is better organized than it was yesterday, but still lacks well-defined banding features," the National Hurricane Center said Friday morning in an advisory,
Monroe County declared a State of Local Emergency and ordered the evacuations of all live-aboard vessels, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, travel trailers, and campers in anticipation of the storm.
Craig Setzer, chief meteorologist for Miami Herald news partner CBS4, noted that worst of the weather appears to the Florida Keys on Monday.
As of the 2 p.m. EDT advisory, the storm was about 175 miles east southeast of the northern Leeward Islands. It's headed west at 18 mph. The storm could strengthen over the next couple of days "but the intensity forecast is quite uncertain and depends on how much interaction with land will occur," the hurricane center said.
The National Weather Service in Miami warned that with uncertainty of Laura's track it still "may bring tropical storm impacts to South Florida."
Tropical storm warnings were issued early Friday for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. At 2 p.m., the northern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the border with Haiti joined the list.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the northern coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nicholas to the border with the Dominican Republic, the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands
Tropical storm conditions, including heavy rainfall, will be possible across portions of the northern Leeward Islands by Friday night and possibly in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane center says Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and the southern Haitian Peninsula could see three to six inches of rain _ with eight inches in some areas _ through Sunday.
"This heavy rainfall could lead to flash and urban flooding, as well as an increased potential for mudslides with minor river flooding in Puerto Rico," the hurricane center warned.
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression 14 is expected to strengthen as it approaches the Yucatan Peninsula. As of the 11 a.m. Friday advisory, the storm was located 165 miles east of Isla Roatan, Honduras. The storm is expected to strengthen and will be named Marco.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Punta Herrero to Cancun, Mexico and a tropical storm warning is in effect for Bay Islands of Honduras, Punta Herrero to Cancun, Mexico. There is also a tropical storm watch is in effect for north and west of Cancun to Dzilam, Mexico.
