Tropical Storm Ike forms east of Leeward Islands

MIAMI The ninth tropical storm of the season has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. At 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was located about 1,400 miles east of the Leeward Islands, and it was moving west near 16 mph.

The storm's projected course late Monday would take it toward the Bahamas over the next several days, but the paths of storms often vary from predictions made several days out.

Forecasters expect the storm to reach hurricane strength in the next 36 hours over warm Atlantic waters.

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