Weather system expected to become a tropical storm before reaching North Carolina coast

A weather system moving across the Atlantic Ocean is expected to become a tropical storm before it reaches the North Carolina coast Friday, forecasters said.

The center of the system, called Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen, will approach the coast Friday night before moving across the state into southeastern Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula on Saturday and Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 a.m. advisory.

Almost 7 million people along the coast are under a tropical storm warning.

The system is about 250 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and is moving at 14 mph. It has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph with higher wind gusts.

"Some strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and the low is expected to become a tropical storm before it reaches the coast of North Carolina," the hurricane center said. "Regardless of whether it becomes a tropical storm, the system is expected to bring tropical-storm conditions to portions of the southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts."

About 3 to 5 inches of rain should be expected across eastern North Carolina into southeast Virginia through Saturday, according to the hurricane center. The remaining portions of the mid-Atlantic into southern New England could see 2 to 4 inches late Saturday night into Sunday.

"This rainfall may produce isolated urban and small stream flooding impacts," the hurricane center said.

Tornadoes are also possible beginning Friday night through Saturday for parts of the mid-Atlantic.

Tropical storm conditions are already spreading toward the coast of North Carolina, forecasters said. Cape Fear, North Carolina, to Fenwick Island, Delaware, and Chesapeake Bay south of North Beach, Maryland, are under a tropical storm warning.

Duck, North Carolina, to Chincoteague, Virginia, are under a storm surge warning, while areas including Surf City, North Carolina, to Duck, North Carolina, are under a storm surge watch.

Forecasters warned that surges up to 5 feet are expected along the Pamlico and Pungo rivers. About 2 to 4 feet are expected from Surf City to Chincoteague, and 1 to 3 feet from Chincoteague to the Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey.