Hurricane Dorian Spares Puerto Rico, Steers Towards Florida

After Hurricane Dorian was expected to hit Puerto Rico while passing through the U.S. Virgin Islands it changed trajectories, now heading towards the U.S. east coast.

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Residents in Puerto Rico had been preparing for the worst, as many are still reeling from the devastation of 2017's Hurricane Maria, including tens of thousands of residents living under blue tarp roofs.

It is now expected to emerge as a healthy storm system and graze the east of the island Wednesday evening, bringing 80 mph winds, 10 inches of rain and possibly flash flooding. That healthy system can then more easily intensify as it moves north.

And although this means good news for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the U.S. state of Florida now braces for a possible impact over the Labor Day weekend. Experts believe this system will be a major hurricane, Category 3 or greater when it reaches the southeast coast of the U.S., as some computer models show.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for counties in Dorian's path.

"It’s important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely," DeSantis said in a statement. "Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water, and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster."