TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — As of 5 a.m. on Saturday, Hurricane Erin has strengthened to a Category 3 storm, NHC said.

Erin has been rapidly strengthening and is expected to continue to do so. NHC forecasts the storm turning into a Category 4 later Saturday.

It's currently around 170 miles northeast of Anguilla, a small island that's part of the Lesser Antilles, and is moving west-northwest at around 20 mph.

A tropical storm watch is currently in effect for St. Martin, St. Barthelemy and Sint Maarten, and the NHC said tropical storm conditions are possible over the next 12 hours. The outer rainbands of the storm are already affecting the northern Leeward Islands

With maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, Erin is sitting in the middle of the Category 3 wind speed range, which is between 111 mph

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