MIAMI (Reuters) - The sixth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Florence, formed in the distant Atlantic on Tuesday and could become a hurricane as it moves toward the United States, U.S. forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Florence was about 935 miles east of the Lesser Antilles by 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT) and moving to the west at 12 mph (19 kph), the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Long-range computer tracking models projected the swirling mass of thunderstorms could end up north of the Caribbean islands, reaching hurricane status by 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) on Friday, the hurricane center said.

Tropical storms become hurricanes when their maximum sustained winds hit 74 mph (119 kph). Florence's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (64 kph) as of late Tuesday morning.