BEAUMONT, Texas — Tropical Storm Erin is moving quickly westward across the Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into a hurricane by late Thursday, prompting the National Hurricane Center to advise residents of the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to monitor the storm's progress.

Erin is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, with a minimum central pressure of 997 mb and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 90 miles from its center. The storm is expected to steadily strengthen and could become a major hurricane by this weekend – Cat. 4 by Sunday.