Ernesto was able to shake off the "sub" Thursday and become a tropical storm in the north Atlantic Ocean.
"Visible and infrared satellite imagery shows that convective banding has increased closer to the center of Ernesto today," read an afternoon update from the National Hurricane Center. "The system has also lost much of its outer cloud bands and is no longer co-located with an upper-level low. On this basis, Ernesto is now being classified as a tropical storm."
Ernesto could strengthen slightly before becoming a post-tropical storm sometime in the next 12 hours.
In the southern Atlantic, forecasters are continuing to watch a tropical wave as it moves westward toward the Lesser Antilles.
It has a low chance of strengthening into at least a tropical depression before moving into unfavorable conditions by the weekend.
Photos: Getty Images/NOAA/National Hurricane Center