NEW : The center of St. Martin passes Rafael and is heading north . The tropical storm could become a hurricane by late Monday . Efforts to find two passengers on a downed plane continue despite the weather . Forecasters expect Rafael to dump between 3 to 5 inches of rain over the Lesser Antilles and Virgin Islands , with some pockets getting as much as 10 inches . Tropical storm warnings are in effect for many the Caribbean Sea islands .
NEW : The center of St. Martin passes Rafael and is heading north . The tropical storm could become a hurricane by late Monday . Efforts to find two passengers on a downed plane continue despite the weather . Tropical storm warnings are in effect for many the Caribbean Sea islands .