Hurricane warnings have been issued across the Caribbean, including popular holiday hotspots.
Forecasters have warned that Tropical Storm Irene could develop into a hurricane before making landfall in the Dominican Republic today.
Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International have been forced to switch their Caribbean itineraries as the storm approaches the region.
The northern coast of the Dominican Republic has issued a hurricane warning while the south coast of the island is expecting a tropical storm.
Hurricane warnings are also in place for Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, central Bahamas, Haiti, the southeastern Bahamans and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami expect Hurricane Irene to pass near Puerto Rico and make landfall in the Dominican Republic today.
So far, Irene has maximum sustained winds of up to 70 mph.
According to the five-day forecast, by Wednesday and Thursday the storm is expected to reach Florida and the southeastern US.
Floridians have been advised to closely monitor its progress.
By Bev Fearis
