Tropical Storm Rafael threatens Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

By the CNN Wire Staff

updated 10:16 PM EDT, Sat October 13, 2012

On Bay Road in Basseterre, St. Kitts, two taxis were washed down to the shoreline when they tried to cross the flooded road.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Rafael has 50 mph winds and "strengthening is forecast" in the next 48 hours
• NEW: Centered 25 miles from St. Maarten, the storm is moving north at 12 mph
• NEW: Efforts to find three passengers on a downed plane continue despite the weather
• Tropical storm warnings are in effect for many Caribbean islands

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Rafael continued to churn Saturday evening through the Caribbean Sea, bringing heavy rain and powerful gusts to the Virgin Islands and threatening even more locales.

With sustained winds of 50 mph, Rafael could get even stronger in the coming days as it bears down on several islands popular with tourists.

"Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Rafael could become a hurricane by late Monday," forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said in a 8 p.m. advisory.

At that time, the tropical storm was centered about 25 miles west-southwest of St. Maarten and 85 miles east of St. Croix. It started to move faster over the course of the day Saturday, and by nighttime was advancing north at a 12 mph rate, the Miami-based weather agency said. Rafael should turn toward the north-northwest sometime Sunday.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for a number of Caribbean isles, including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Guadeloupe. Dousing rains and steady winds in excess of 39 mph are expected in 12 to 24 hours in these places, according to the hurricane center. Puerto Rico is under a tropical storm watch, meaning such conditions are possible.

The storm's eye should pass over the northern Windward Islands and Virgin Islands sometime late Saturday.