(WGNO) — Tropical Storm Earl formed east of the Lesser Antilles late Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Air Force Reserve and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft each flew missions into the area of low pressure east of the Leeward Islands this afternoon into this evening, and the data from those flights indicated that the circulation and center of the low became well defined today.

Tropical Storm Earl is forecast to pass near or just to the north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico over the weekend. Gusty winds, especially in squalls, area possible on those islands over the next day or two.