Tropical Storm Erin on Thursday began to intensify, with the National Hurricane Center projecting it to become the season’s first hurricane on Friday and grow into a major Category 3 hurricane this weekend,

Tropical Storm Erin has developed close to the Cape Verde Islands, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Situated about 280 miles west-northwest of the islands, Erin features maximum sustained winds of 45 mph,

The National Hurricane Center expects tropical Storm Erin - which is powering across the eastern Atlantic Ocean - to intensify, potentially becoming a major hurricane as early as this weekend