Tropical Storm Erin was located off the west coast of Africa on Tuesday moving westward over the Atlantic. It is expected to intensify into a hurricane over the next 24 to 48 hours and then shift to a northwestward curve from Thursday to Friday.

Erin could become a major hurricane, a designation that occurs when a storm's wind speeds reach 111 mph or higher, classified as a Category 3 hurricane. Should it strengthen as meteorologists expect, Erin could become not only the first hurricane of the season but also its first major hurricane.