A newly formed depression in the Caribbean could enter the Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Sara next week, potentially reducing the chances it could pose a threat to Florida later in the week.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Sara could get into the Gulf of Mexico after swamping Central America and crossing over Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center has designated an area of low pressure in the Caribbean as “Potential Tropical Cyclone Nineteen,” and forecasts it will strengthen into a tropical storm within the next 24 hours.

A slug of moisture that impacted the Gulf Coast with Tornado Warnings and flash flooding is expected to cause heavy rainfall across the eastern Carolinas. Expected rainfall totals could approach an inch along the I-40 corridor and 2-4 inches along the Outer Banks.

On Thursday at 7:29 a.m. a coastal flood advisory was issued by the NWS Wilmington NC. The advisory is for Coastal Pender, Coastal New Hanover and Coastal Brunswick.

The NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a coastal flood watch at 3:35 p.m. on Wednesday valid from Friday 1 a.m. until Saturday 10 a.m. The watch is for Northern Outer Banks, Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island.

Authorities say a powerful dust storm known as a haboob caused a vehicle pile-up on a central California highway, sending several people to hospitals with minor injuries