(RNN) - Tropical Storm Harvey is heading into the Caribbean, and is drenching the Windward Islands with rain.
As of the 5 a.m. Eastern advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the storm was located about 30 miles east-southeast of Barbados and about 135 miles east-southeast of St. Lucia, moving west at a rapid pace, 18 mph. Harvey was packing maximum-sustained winds of 40 mph.
Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Dominica is under a Tropical Storm Watch.
Harvey is expected to produce rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches across portions of the Windward Islands from Martinique southward to Grenada. The rain could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Forecasters said wind shear should keep Harvey in check in the eastern Caribbean, though the storm will encounter more favorable conditions further west. Harvey could be at or near hurricane strength by Monday before it hits Central America or the Yucatan Peninsula.
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