By Meg Wagner, Mike Hayes and Paul P. Murphy, CNN
From CNN's Brandon Miller
Dorian has strengthened into a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m. forecast update. Hurricane Dorian has sustained winds of 75 mph.
Hurricane Dorian is currently located directly over St. Thomas, USVI.
There have been multiple observations of hurricane-force winds in St. Thomas, according to the update.
The wind and rain is picking up on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. Stacy Mooney was shooting video through a crack in her hurricane shutters when all of a sudden there was a buzz followed by a green flash.
"Overall, things are fine," she tells CNN. "The winds have been fierce."
WATCH:
Puerto Ricans are bracing for Tropical Storm Dorian, which is expected to hit the eastern part of the island later today.
Dorian arrives just two years after the island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria. Here's how the people of Puerto Rico are preparing for the storm.
Workers are preparing stores for the arrival of Dorian:
People have gathered at the coast in the hours before the Tropical Storm Dorian enters in Patillas, Puerto Rico:
Residents are putting up shutters and plywood over the windows of homes in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico:
St. John and St. Thomas are now under flash flood warnings.
Dorian could drop up to 10 inches of rain over the next 24 hours.
The Governor of the US Virgin Islands announced a curfew for the territory earlier this morning. It just went into effect.
The curfew will last until 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning.
Authorities utilized the emergency alert system and sent the following message to everyone on the islands.
As Tropical Storm Dorian nears St. Croix, the rain and wind is picking up. Christy Brown is prepared, and is thankful to still have power — for now.
She took video that shows the current conditions on the island in the US Virgin Islands.
Here's the footage:
Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry said although Tropical Storm Dorian is about five days away from possibly making landfall in Florida, preparations are underway to ensure the safety of all residents.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Curry says it’s too early to make any decisions about evacuations, however the city will activate its Emergency Operations Center tomorrow morning.
“We have been through this before, we know what to do," he said.
The extended forecast for Dorian calls for a landfall in Florida on Monday.
Rain will have a larger impact than wind in this storm and rivers will be impacted due to rain.
"This is not a Maria, in terms of wind," according to the US National Weather Service, San Juan Director Roberto Garcia at a briefing Wednesday.
About 4 to 6 inches of rain are expect, however, eastern, mountainous portions of Puerto Rico could see up to 10 inches, Garcia said.
As of Wednesday morning, 23 shelters have been established and more than 40 residents have sought refuge, Puerto Rico Emergency and Disaster Management Commissioner Carlos A. Acevedo Caballero said.
From CNN's Brandon Miller
A hurricane warning has been issued for the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra as well as the US Virgin Islands, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the area — in this case in the next 12 hours.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in Puerto Rico today with hurricane conditions possible.
Tropical Storm Dorian has strengthened to 70 mph this morning, only 4 mph from reaching hurricane status.
The forecast for Dorian calls for continued strengthening over the next few days, now reaching Category 3 on Sunday over the Bahamas. The extended forecast for Dorian still calls for a landfall in Florida on Monday.