By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel (TNS)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Storm Erin formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic on Monday morning and is forecast to grow into a major hurricane by the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of the NHC’s 2 p.m. Eastern time update, the newly formed storm was located about 280 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands and 2,305 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean moving west at 20 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 35 miles.

“This motion is expected to continue for the next several days,” forecasters said. “Gradual strengthening is forecast over the next several days.”

The long-range forecast from the NHC has it intensifying into what would be the season’s f

See Full Page