Tropical Storm Erin is nearly at hurricane strength Thursday night, its western path putting islands in the far eastern Caribbean under tropical storm watches, according to the National Hurricane

Tropical Storm Erin formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Monday, forecasters said. The storm could strengthen to become the Atlantic's first hurricane of the season.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that Tropical Storm Erin is expected to strengthen and could become a major hurricane over the weekend as it shifts just north of the northern Leeward Islands,