SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Ernesto was poised to become a hurricane shortly after brushing past Puerto Rico late Tuesday as officials closed schools, opened shelters and moved dozens of the U.S. territory’s endangered parrots into hurricane-proof rooms.

Ernesto is forecast to become a hurricane overnight as the center of the storm moves just northeast of Puerto Rico on a path toward Bermuda. Forecasters issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as well as the tiny Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are popular with tourists.

“Since there is some chance of Ernesto becoming a hurricane while it is near the Virgin Islands, a hurricane watch remains in effect,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The storm moved over the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday night. After passing Puerto Rico, it is expected to move into open waters and be near Bermuda on Friday.

Heavy rains began pelting Puerto Rico, and strong winds churned the ocean into a milky turquoise as people rushed to finish securing homes and businesses.

“I’m hoping it will go away quickly,” said Jose Rodriguez, 36, as he climbed on the roof of his uncle’s wooden shack in the Afro-Caribbean community of Pinones on Puerto Rico’s north coast to secure the business famous for its fried street food.

Ernesto was about 20 miles east of St. Thomas on Tuesday night. It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving west-northwest at 18 mph.

“We are going to have a lot of rain,” Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said as he urged people to be indoors.

He activated the National Guard as crews across the island visited flood-prone areas and older residents as part of last-minute preparations.

Meanwhile, Department of Natural Resources officials who work at breeding centers for the island’s only remaining native parrot, the Puerto Rico Amazon, moved them indoors.