MEXICO CITY (AP) — The hurricane-battered islands of the Caribbean are facing yet another storm threat. Forecasters said Sunday that Tropical Storm Maria is likely to hit the Leeward Islands as a strengthening hurricane on Tuesday.

Hurricane watches were in effect for many of the very islands still trying to cope with the devastation left by Hurricane Irma, including St Martin, St Barts and Antigua and Barbuda.

The US National Hurricane Center said Maria was likely to grow into a hurricane on Sunday and swell into major hurricane status by midweek as it heads for Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) Sunday morning. It was centred about 410 miles (655 kilometres) east-southwest of the Lesser Antilles and was heading west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph).

Meanwhile, long-lived Hurricane Jose was moving northward off the U.S. Atlantic Seaboard, kicking up dangerous surf and rip currents. But it wasn’t expected to make landfall.

It was centred about 420 miles (680 kilometres) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and was moving north at 8 mph (13 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph).

In the Pacific, Tropical Storm Norma’s threat to Mexico’s Los Cabos area appeared to be easing. Forecasters said the storm was weakening and its centre was likely to remain offshore.

The storm had winds of about 45 mph (75 kph) and it was centred about 155 miles (250 kilometres) south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. That area was hit two weeks ago by Tropical Storm Lidia, which flooded streets and homes and killed at least four people.

The Baja California Sur state government readied storm shelters and canceled classes for Monday as well as calling off a Mexican Independence Day military parade in the state capital, La Paz.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee formed in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Otis in the Pacific on Saturday. Neither threatened land.