Tropical Storm Erika Forms in the Atlantic

Published September 1, 2009 5:14pm EDT | Updated January 14, 2015 1:37am EST

MIAMI – Tropical Storm Erika formed in the open Atlantic with 50 mph winds, heading west-northwest.

It's the fifth tropical storm of the 2009 season.

Erika was about 390 miles east of the the Caribbean's northern Leeward Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center.