Hurricane Earl's Path as Projected in 5 Maps

(Aug. 30) -- UPDATED, 5:31 p.m. EDT -- Hurricane Earl has become a Category 4 storm and Tropical Storm Fiona has formed in the Atlantic Ocean. The current forecast predicts Earl will not make landfall in the U.S. but will instead have its path passing between Bermuda and the Eastern Seaboard from Wednesday through Friday.

Below Surge Desk answers five questions about the season's second major hurricane and the tropical storm on its heels.

1. Where is Hurricane Earl?
As of 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was moving away from the Virgin Islands and was about 110 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Hurricane conditions are expected to subside in the northern Virgin Islands over the next few hours while tropical storm conditions increase in Puerto Rico. Hurricane conditions are possible this evening in Puerto Rico.

2. What is Hurricane Earl's projected path?
The storm is moving west-northwest at 15 mph and is expected to turn northwest Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Puerto Rico later today and could strengthen to hurricane force into the evening. Earl is on a more western track than Danielle and could affect the U.S. East Coast later this week, most likely with dangerous rip currents.

3. How strong is Hurricane Earl?
Earl became a Category 4 storm this afternoon. As of 5 p.m. EDT, it was packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 135 mph. Forecasters expect Earl to peak as a Category 4 storm.

4. What islands will Hurricane Earl affect?
As of 5 p.m. EDT, all hurricane warnings and watches had been discontinued. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Puerto Rico, including the islands of Culebra and Vieques, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos islands.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the southeastern Bahamas.

5. What path is Tropical Storm Fiona on?
Fiona is about 890 miles east of the Leeward Islands and is moving west at 24 mph. The storm could be near the northern Leeward islands by Wednesday.