Tropical Storm Delta's maximum sustained winds have intensified to 70 miles per hour as the storm moves west in the Caribbean Sea. The National Hurricane Center says it could become a hurricane overnight, and could be a Category 3 storm as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico.
"Delta is situated within a very conducive environment for strengthening," said Senior Hurricane Specialist Daniel Brown with the National Hurricane Center. "These conditions are expected to allow for rapid strengthening over the next 24 to 36 hours."
The hurricane center says wind shear is likely to increase after Delta strengthens to a major hurricane, but uncertainty about the storm's intensity means it is increasingly likely that the storm will pose a significant wind and storm surge threat.
As for the storm's forecast track, the hurricane center expects it to turn northwest and pass near the Yucatan peninsula, head into the gulf, then turn northeast as a trough develops over Texas. Forecasters say areas of potential landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast and timing remain uncertain.
