All eyes are on the Atlantic Ocean and what could be the next named system of the 2020 hurricane season that continues to churn in the open waters and has Florida in the cone of concern.
Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 was about 235 miles southeast of the Leeward Islands with 40 mph winds and moving west at 25 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's 11 p.m. advisory.
A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Puerto Rico, a portion of the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maartin.
A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the Dominican Republic -- from the southern Haiti border eastward to Punta Caucedo -- and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Some strengthening is expected during the next two days, and the system is forecast to become a tropical storm on Wednesday.
The system is forecast to move through the Leeward Islands on Wednesday, near or over the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Wednesday night, and near or over Hispaniola on Thursday.
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South Florida and the Florida Keys fall in the long range of the newly-issued forecast cone, but it is too soon to determine what impacts, if any, could materialize over the weekend.
Residents should continue to monitor the progress of this system.
Regardless of further development, this system will bring heavy rain to these areas with the potential for flash flooding, landslides and mudslides through late week.
Stay tuned to NBC 6 and the First Alert weather team for the latest updates
