The chances that rain and wind from Tropical Storm Erin will hit the East Coast have risen slightly this week.

Hurricane Erin is currently not forecast to hit land, but strong winds are affecting nearby islands, prompting forecasters to warn of possible flooding and landslides.

The first hurricane of the season is likely to form in the Atlantic Ocean this week. This system developed into Tropical Storm Erin today but remains very far from Texas in the eastern Atlantic. Through the week,

The National Hurricane Center is predicting Invest 97L could become a tropical depression or tropical storm as early as later this morning, Aug. 11.

Heavy rains were forecast to start late Friday in Antigua and Barbuda, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and southern and eastern Puerto Rico. Up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) are expected, with isolated totals of up to 6 inches (15 centimeters), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Forecasters also warned of dangerous swells.