Tropical Depression 16 expected to become Hurricane Nate by weekend

Tropical Depression 16 has formed off the coast of Central America and is projected to become Hurricane Nate just off the coast of Florida, according the the National Weather Service.

The storm is predicted to turn into a tropical storm by Thursday and turn up into the Gulf of Mexico where it becomes a hurricane around 8 a.m. Sunday, a projected map shows.

“It’s not predicted to be a strong hurricane,” Stephen Keebler, a forecaster with NWS is Wilmington, N.C., said.

As the storm makes landfall it will turn back to a tropical depression as it reaches South Carolina by 8 a.m. Monday.

The Grand Strand can expect to see rain and some wind from the storm.

“This could actually be a good beneficial rain maker for us,” Keebler said. “There might e a little wind but it’s not a wind maker, it’s a rain maker.”

Keebler said that the storm is not likely to shift from the projected path, but that it could move within the cone of uncertainty.

This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Tropical Depression 16 expected to become Hurricane Nate by weekend."