The current forecast track says that the storm may split into a stronger Erika that will take a north-west route, whereas the weaker Erika may follow a west-south course.

The storm is moving quickly to the west at 17 miles per hour.

Erika strengthened slightly overnight and could reach hurricane status over Florida by Monday morning, the Miami-based government forecaster said, but its future intensity was uncertain due to possible wind disruption.

ABOVE VIDEO: Longtime Central Florida Meteorologist and Space Coast Daily corespondent Danny Treanor offers some advice on how to prepare for the upcoming 2014 hurricane season. Maximum sustained winds of 45mph, extend outwards for 80 miles from the center of the storm and some decrease in forward speed is expected in the coming days. One shows it entering the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm.

As of 11 a.m. ET, the storm had winds of 45 mph and was located 730 miles east of the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands.

The forecast beyond Wednesday is still up in the air and subject to change.

“Erika will likely regain strength steadily is it moves across the Caribbean, forecasters said, unleashing tropical storm force winds on the Leeward Islands by late Wednesday or early Thursday”.

Spaghetti models are in general agreement that Tropical Storm Erika will continue on a west-northwesterly track and pass just north of Puerto Rico by Thursday night and just north of the Dominican Republic by Friday. Some slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms spreading over portions of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola are associated with the remnants of tropical cyclone Danny. A tropical storm watch is already in effect in the northern Lesser Antilles. There is still some uncertainty with the system and its exact track into the weekend.