SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  — Dorian became a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday as it struck the U.S. Virgin Islands, with forecasters saying it could grow to Category 3 status as it nears the U.S. mainland as early as the weekend.

The British Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra were also in Dorian’s path, the first major test of emergency preparedness for the U.S. territory since the 2017 devastation of Hurricane Maria, though the main island appeared to have been spared the brunt of the storm.

“Dorian brings uncertainty, and, for those of us who experienced the storms of 2017, uncomfortable memories,” said British Virgin Islands Gov. Augustus Jaspert. “Take heart.”

Dorian prompted President Donald Trump to declare a state of emergency Tuesday night and order federal assistance for local authorities.

At 5 p.m. EDT, Dorian was located 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said it had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) while moving northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).