BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Tropical Storm Erin continues to strengthen as it moves westward across the Atlantic and is expected to become a hurricane by Friday.

In its 11:00 am update, the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC), said interests in the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should monitor the progress of the storm.

The centre of Tropical Storm Erin is located near latitude 16.4 north, longitude 49.7 west. Erin is moving toward the west at 28 kilometres per hour.

A turn toward the west-northwest is expected on Thursday night, with this motion expected to continue into the weekend.

On the forecast track, the centre of Erin is likely to move near or just north of the northern Leeward Islands over the weekend.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 95 kilometres (km) per hour with higher gusts.

Additional strengthening is forecast, and based on this, Erin is expected to become a hurricane on Friday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 95 km from the centre.

Officials have stressed that while no watches or warnings are currently in place, conditions may change rapidly, and residents are advised to remain vigilant.

The risk of storm-force winds is considered moderate, around 40 to 50 per cent, for Anguilla and parts of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and lower for other islands in the region.

Authorities have urged the public to prepare for potential impacts, including heavy rainfall, rough seas, swells, and strong gusty winds.

A slight shift south or continued westward movement could bring Erin dangerously close to the islands late Friday night into Saturday.