Hemera Technologies/Ablestock.com(MIAMI) -- Hurricane warnings have been issued for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic as tropical storm Irene spirals closer Sunday.
Irene has already battered the Leeward Islands. National Hurricane Center forecaster Todd Kimberlain says the storm is expected to turn around in a few days and move towards Florida.
"It could lie anywhere west of Florida to all the way east of Florida, so at this point in time what we are telling residents of Florida to definitely be paying attention," Kimberlain says.
The storm is expected to pass close to Puerto Rico Sunday night or early Monday, and then move on to the Dominican Republic. Forecasters believe it will gain strength over the next day and reach hurricane status.
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