Tropical Storm Erin is expected become a hurricane Friday, then strengthen into a Cat 3 storm, according to forecasters with the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

As of 4 a.m., Erin was 520 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and had maximum winds of 70 mph. The tropical storm was moving west-northwest at about 17 mph, said NHC forecaster Jack Beven.

Beven said the the tropical storm struggled to become better organized Thursday night, but Erin was in a favorable environment for development by Friday morning. Erin will become the Atlantic Ocean's first hurricane of the 2025 season.

Erin is expected to intensify into a major hurricane by Saturday.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for several of the northern Leeward Islands with Erin's core forecast to pass north of the isla

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