Tropical Storm Erin is nearly at hurricane strength Thursday night, its western path putting islands in the far eastern Caribbean under tropical storm watches, according to the National Hurricane

Tropical Storm Erin formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Monday, forecasters said. The storm could strengthen to become the Atlantic's first hurricane of the season.

While a curve back out to sea is widely expected and forecast in models, any impacts Erin could have on Florida and the U.S. remains uncertain. Tropical Storm Erin is expected to begin strengthening today, becoming a hurricane by the end of the week.