Brief: Tropical Storm Erin is likely to become a hurricane in the next 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center on Aug. 12.

As the Gulf disturbance nears Texas, tropical moisture will surge Friday and Saturday in the Houston metro area, leading to increasing storm chances.

BEAUMONT, Texas — Tropical Storm Erin is moving quickly westward across the Atlantic Ocean and could strengthen into a hurricane by late Thursday, prompting the National Hurricane Center to advise residents of the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to monitor the storm's progress.

Invest 98L, the tropical system that emerged near Mexico early Wednesday, Aug. 13, is tracking toward Texas. Will it impact the state?

While a Gulf disturbance that moved into Texas on Friday seems to have run its course, Hurricane Erin in the western Atlantic intensifies.

Erin has strengthened to become the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. It could become a major hurricane this weekend.

Though Erin is not currently forecast to make landfall in the U.S., the East Coast could still get heavy rainfall associated with the storm, along with the northern Leeward Islands, the British Virgin Islands and southern and eastern Puerto Rico. Isolated flash flooding, landslides and mudslides are possible.