Tropical Storm Nate Could Impact New Jersey Next Week

The likelihood of impacts from Tropical Storm Nate, which is expected to become a hurricane, continues to rise as the storm's so-called "cone of uncertainty" now includes New Jersey.

As of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nate was moving over Nicaragua and Honduras and was expected to approach the U.S. Gulf Coast as a strong tropical storm or hurricane this weekend. The system is then expected to head northeast, toward New Jersey, according to the National Hurricane Center.

By the time it's expected to come to New Jersey, the storm is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression, with wind speeds in the 40 mph range. Tracking models say that the storm is expected to shift west before it shifts back east.

The National Hurricane Center didn't give a specific day for the storm's potential arrival in New Jersey, but it is supposed to move across the Southeast by Sunday at 8 a.m. Remnants of the storm, at the very least could arrive in New Jersey by Monday or Tuesday.

Forecasters say it's too early to determine the storm's potential impact.

"In all likelihood, this storm will impact areas not severely impacted by Harvey or Irma. The extent of the damage will depend, of course, on the precise path and whether the storm intensifies beyond a Category 1 storm," AccuWeather Founder, President and Chairman Joel N. Myers said in a press release.

How serious the impacts are and exactly which areas are hardest hit by winds, waves and flooding will depend on the strength and track of the system, according to AccuWeather. "Since the system will be moving over very warm waters, we could quickly have a powerful hurricane on our hands," Kottlowski said in the release.

People in the potential path may want to have a plan in order and gather necessities in case a strengthening hurricane takes aim at their community. "In lieu of a strong tropical system or flooding, beneficial rain may extend across the interior eastern U.S. next week, which could ease abnormally dry and building drought conditions in some locations," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said in the release.

Areas from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Central America and the islands in the central and western Caribbean will experience rounds of showers and thunderstorms, because of a broad area of disturbed weather over the next couple of weeks, according to the release.

AccuWeather is projecting a total of 17 tropical storms, which includes 11 hurricanes, through December 2017 in the Atlantic. Hurricane season officially ends at the end of November. Including Maria, there have been 13 tropical storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes thus far.

Photo: NASA