The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for the U.S. Virgin Islands, the islands of Vieques and Culebra, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barthelemy, The British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Kitts, and Nevis, as Hurricane Omar moves in.

The center warned that within the next 24 hours, people in the above mentioned areas need to be prepared for hurricane conditions, and authorities need to make the necessary preparations to protect both residents and property.

On Wednesday, Omar had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, but that should change, NHC said. Hurricane Omar is expected to continue to strengthen. According to the latest satellite imagery, Omar continues to generate very deep convection.

For now, Omar is expected to continue northeastward, with a gradual increase in forward speed. NHC also said that although the official forecast keeps the center of Omar east of Puerto Rico, a deviation to the left of the current motion could mean a hurricane warning for the island as well, instead of the hurricane watch.

Over the next two days, the hurricane is expected to strengthen. Omar is now located approximately 285 miles, or 455 km, south-southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is moving northeast near 7 mph. This trend will continue over the next day or two. According to the current forecast, Omar should move through the northern Leeward Islands tonight and early Thursday.

Hurricane Omar is a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, its hurricane force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center, while its tropical storm force winds extend outward 105 miles. The minimum central pressure was estimated at 985 mb.

NHC said Omar will bring total rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches, with maximum of 12 inches possible over the Netherlands Antilles, up to 6 inches in the extreme northwestern and north-central Venezuela and the northern Guajira Peninsula, and possibly up to 20 inches across Puerto Rico and the northern Leeward Islands. Life-threatening flash floods and mud slides are to be expected.