There is growing confidence that Tropical Storm Erin will curve north early next week as it approaches the Caribbean and U.S. East Coast, potentially sparing those areas the worst impacts of what could be a powerful storm.

Tropical Storm Erin continues to move westward across the Atlantic as it is expected to become a hurricane in a couple of days, the National Hurricane Center said.

Tropical storm Erin is roughly a thousand miles East of the Caribbean islands. Swells generated by Erin will begin affecting portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by this weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.