Tropical Storm Franklin strengthens after forming in Caribbean

The tropics continue to heat up in the Atlantic basin, as Tropical Storm Franklin formed Sunday afternoon.

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According to an 8 p.m. EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Franklin, the sixth-named storm in the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, was located about 240 miles south-southeast of Isla Saona in the Dominican Republic. It was also stationed about 280 miles south-southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Franklin strengthens; storm warnings issued

Update 11:05 p.m. EDT Aug. 20: Tropical Storm Franklin strengthened slightly Sunday night, and a tropical storm warning was issued along the south coast of the Dominican Republic, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. EDT advisory.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving west at 12 mph, the hurricane center said.

Tropical storm warnings were posted along the south coast of the Dominican Republic from the border city of Anse d’Hainault near Haiti eastward to Isla Saona, the hurricane center said. A tropical storm watch was posted along Haiti’s southern coast.

Original report: Franklin is the second Atlantic tropical system to form in the past 12 hours. Emily formed in the eastern Atlantic earlier Sunday.

The newest-named storm had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving west-northwest at 14 mph, according to the hurricane center.

Franklin is expected to strengthen within the next two days, according to the Miami Herald.

Both Franklin and Emily formed several weeks before the mid-September peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic basin, which began on June 1. The current season ends on Nov. 30.

The storm is expected to impact Haiti and the Dominican Republic and cross the island on Wednesday, according to the Herald.