Tropical Storm Emily continues to menace the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola today. And looking ahead, the forecast storm track shows the storm moving on toward Florida and the southeast coast of the U.S. by this weekend.

For now, Emily remains a minimal tropical storm, and "poorly organized," with top sustained winds of just 40 mph. It was located about 270 miles southeast of San Juan, PR this morning, with little or no forward movement. The islands of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, as well as the Dominican Republic and Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, remained under Tropical Storm Warnings. The U.S. Virgin Islands are under a Tropical Storm Watch.

Emily is expected to quit her dawdling and start again toward the west northwest at 12 mph later today. Tropical storm-force winds extend 70 miles from the storm's center. St. Thomas, in the USVI, reported a gust to 49 mph early today.

Some strengthening is expected. But forecasters say several forecast models show Emily dissipating once it reaches Hispaniola. But if not, forecasters predict the storm - still at tropical storm strength - will begin a turn to the north later this week and could track up the southeast coast by Sunday.