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

Erin’s long-range track was still the subject of much speculation, with it being too soon to rule out threats to the U.S. Many forecast models suggest the storm, which could become a Category 3 hurricane by late this week, will track westward but then turn to the north and then northeast, keeping it off the U.S. East Coast.

Tropical Storm Erin, still far in the east-central Atlantic, is forecast to intensify into a major Category 3 hurricane by this weekend, but a big turn to the north is still expected before the