Tropical Storm Rafael will bring rain to Puerto Rico and surrounding islands

(CNN) – Tropical Storm Rafael threatened the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico with rain Saturday as it made its way northward.

Between 3 and 5 inches of rain, with isolated amounts of 10 inches, was forecast for the Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands and parts of Puerto Rico, the National Hurricane Center said.

Follow Rafael with our interactive hurricane tracker

As of Saturday afternoon, Rafael was 100 miles southeast of St. Croix and moving at 9 mph with winds of up to 40 mph, the center said.

A tropical storm watch was in effect for Puerto Rico, and tropical storm warnings were posted for many nearby islands.

The center of the storm was expected to pass near or over the Virgin Islands on Saturday night, the center said.