Tropical Storm Erin is forecast to become the season’s first hurricane Friday and threaten the Caribbean before turning away from land where it will intensify further in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of the NHC’s 5 a.m. advisory, the center of Erin was located about 570 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands moving west-northwest at 17 mph with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, just shy of Category 1 hurricane strength. Its tropical-storm-force winds extend out 90 miles.

“This motion is expected to continue into the weekend. On the forecast track, the center of Erin is likely to move near or just north of the northern Leeward Islands over the weekend,” said NHC hurricane specialist Larry Kelly. “Steady strengthening is expected during the next few days

See Full Page