BOSTON —

Tropical Storm Erin, the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to strengthen into the first hurricane of the season this weekend. The storm will likely stay offshore but bring rough surf to coastal Massachusetts.

on Friday morning, Erin was churning with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Tropical storm watches were in effect for parts of the Leeward Islands.

As it moves west in the Atlantic, Erin is not expected to hit any land areas through the weekend, but it will strengthen in the warm waters.

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By Thursday, the storm is expected to make its closest approach to Massachusetts, passing several hundred miles offshore.

"Erin is almost a hurricane and will become a major hurricane this weekend, going no

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