A strengthening Tropical Storm Dorian is expected to make landfall in Puerto Rico on Wednesday afternoon before continuing toward Florida, where forecasters say it could arrive Monday as a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center said in its latest update that “nearly all of the intensity models show Dorian becoming a hurricane in about two days, with additional strengthening beyond that time.”

It added: “The threat of tropical storm or hurricane conditions, along with storm surge, in the northwestern Bahamas and along portions of the Florida east coast have increased.”

Dorian was about 40 miles southeast of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands at 11 a.m. and continuing to move northwest at 13 mph toward the eastern part of Puerto Rico.

The storm continued to grow larger, with tropical storm-force winds extending outward up to 80 miles from its center, according to forecasters.

A hurricane warning was issued for Vieques, Culebra and the USVI as winds swirled at 70 mph — only 4 mph below hurricane status. As a Category 3, it would have to pack winds of at least 111 mph.

The storm could potentially unleash floods and landslides along a similar path and with impacts to many of the regions hardest hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Its potential path has shifted over the past day after it was projected to swing south of Puerto Rico and then over the Dominican Republic.

The forecast now anticipates Dorian’s center missing Hispaniola entirely, though the Dominican Republic still could get lashed by tropical storm rain and winds, according to CNN.

After passing Puerto Rico, the storm will strengthen over warm Atlantic waters and is expected to approach Florida or other parts of the southeastern US over the Labor Day weekend as a major hurricane.

“The risk of dangerous storm surge and hurricane-force winds is increasing in the central and northwestern Bahamas and along the Florida east coast, although it is too soon to determine where these hazards will occur,” the NHC said at 11 a.m.

“Residents in these areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place and not focus on the exact forecast track of Dorian’s center.”

The hurricane center projected that Dorian could be off the coast of Titusville, Florida, by 8 a.m. Monday, but the cone of uncertainty shows it also could be anywhere from coastal Georgia to the southern tip of Florida or west of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico.

With Post wires