A hurricane watch has been issued for the US state of Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick on late Sunday or early Monday, the National Hurricane Center forecasters said Saturday.

“On the forecast track, the center of Kyle is forecast to be near eastern New England or the Canadian Maritimes late Sunday,” the National Hurricane Center said.

A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions with winds of at least 74 mph, are possible within 36 hours.

On the same day, meteorologists with the National Weather Service upgraded Kyle from a tropical storm to a full-fledged hurricane, predicting it would strike land in New Brunswick on Sunday evening. Kyle’s maximum sustained winds were near 75 mph (120kmh) with higher gusts, barely hurricane strength but some strengthening was expected, according to forecasters.

“Hurricane season isn't over. It's been a very active season,” said Maine Emergency Management Agency director Rob McAleer.

This is Maine’s first hurricane watch in 17 years. A hurricane warning was posted for Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts in September 1996, according to the Weather Service office in Taunton, Mass.

The Coast Guard urged sailors to stay at shore as much as possible as the storm may hinder their ability to respond to emergencies. Also authorities have urged Maine residents on coastal islands to evacuate if they depend on electricity for medical reasons, because ferry service will probably shut down on Sunday, Robert McAleer, Maine Emergency Management Agency director, said.

Kyle is the 11th named storm of the season, which has already brought extensive damage and hundreds of deaths n Caribbean nations. However, the forecasters announced the possibility of 18 cyclones developing in this year’s hurricane season, which lasts until November.