A satellite image taken Wednesday morning Aug. 26, 2015, shows Tropical Storm Erika spinning east of the Caribbean's Leeward Islands.(Photo: NOAA)

Tropical Storm Erika continued its march toward the Caribbean Wednesday, and is forecast to approach Florida by Monday, potentially as a hurricane.

It would be the first hurricane to hit Florida in nearly 10 years; Hurricane Wilma battered the state in October 2005.

The storm, which now has sustained winds of 45 mph, should bring rain, wind and rough surf to the islands of the northeastern Caribbean overnight Wednesday and into Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Tropical storm warnings have been posted for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and the Leeward Islands as the storm approaches. Many of these areas are enduring drought conditions so the rainfall would be mostly welcome, AccuWeather said.

As of 11 a.m. ET, Erika was located about 285 miles east of Antigua and was moving to the west at 17 mph, the center reported.

The storm should move into the Bahamas by Saturday and Sunday and potentially impact Florida as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday, the hurricane center said.

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Ignacio has winds of 50 mph and should reach hurricane strength Thursday. The storm is located 1,485 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and is moving west near 7 mph.

It's predicted to approach the Hawaiian Islands as a hurricane by late Sunday and Monday.

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