ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sunday was a busy day in the tropics — three named tropical storms formed in the Atlantic. According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Franklin formed Sunday afternoon.
The tropical storm is located over the eastern Caribbean Sea. It's currently forecast to remain away from the United States, much like Tropical Storm Emily which was named hours earlier.
Franklin is about 245 miles south-southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as of the latest advisory. It has maximum sustained winds at 50 mph – although it's forecast to strengthen over the next 48 hours – and is moving west at 12 mph.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Haiti's entire south coast from Anse d'Hainault eastward to the Dominican Republic border and Dominican Republic's entire south coast from the Haiti border eastward to Isla Saona.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for Dominican Republic's entire north and east coast from the Haiti border eastward and southward to Isla Saona.
The NHC says Tropical Storm Franklin is forecast to approach the coast of Hispaniola late Tuesday or Tuesday night. This will likely bring heavy rains over portions of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico over the next couple of days. After that Franklin is forecast to continue north towards Turks and Caicos before turning northeast into the middle of the Atlantic.
Franklin is forecasted to remain a tropical storm through Wednesday before possibly reaching hurricane strength by Thursday.
