By.Nehal

Weather in Florida

A storm coming from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to crash into Florida on Saturday and strengthen as it tracks up the East Coast through the weekend, unleashing heavy rainfall, gusty winds and coastal hazards along the way.

A blockbuster snowstorm is not expected, despite the time of year, but this very warm, wet and blustery storm could still snarl early holiday travel and knock out power. The storm’s track is becoming clearer as more of the computer models which inform forecasts now show it hugging the Atlantic coast on Sunday and Monday after moving through Florida on Saturday.

The heavy rain will also be accompanied by gusty winds, with the strongest winds arriving Saturday evening as the center of the storm closes in on the Florida coast. Widespread wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph are possible across much of the Florida Peninsula through Saturday night.

Sunday: Rain and wind spread up the East Coast

On Sunday, the storm will track northeast out of Florida and hug the East Coast, expanding its impacts from Georgia to portions of the Northeast. A slight risk of excessive rainfall – or Level 2 out of 4 – is forecast Sunday from parts of South Carolina north into portions of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The heaviest rain during the day will target the Carolinas and coastal Georgia as the storm strengthens and begins to accelerate up the coast. Rain will begin across the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast by Sunday afternoon, but the heaviest will arrive late Sunday and Sunday night.

Monday: Storm reaches peak strength in Northeast

The storm will reach its peak strength on Monday, just in time to deliver disruption to a large portion of the Northeast. It is forecast to track very close to the Northeast coast during this time but could also move more away from the coast. Regardless of its exact track, the storm will bring nor’easter-like impacts to the coastal Northeast on Monday – minus the snow.