Tropical Storm Franklin could be near hurricane strength when it hits Mexico's Yucatan peninsula Monday evening.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported at 10 a.m. that Franklin's top winds already strengthened to 60 mph in the northwestern Caribbean, where it's moving west-northwest at 14 mph off the coast of Honduras.
It was expected to hold that course, making landfall at the Yucatan Monday evening, then crossing over the Gulf Tuesday on a path to central Mexico.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the coast of Mexico from Chetumal to Punta Allen, and with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 140 miles from the center, Belize could feel the effects by late afternoon.
The storm was expected to weaken as it moves across the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday. It isn't expected to affect Florida.