Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to bring days of heavy rain to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica and may trigger life-threatening flash flooding, the National Hurricane Center says.

Tropical Storm Melissa is forecast to become a major hurricane within days. Although the exact track is uncertain, some models bring it close to Florida’s east coast.

"Strong westerly winds, driven by the jet stream, should prevent the storm from tracking into Texas, Louisiana and the panhandles of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida next week," according to AccuWeather. Can't see the graphic? Open in a new browser.