Tropical Storm Hermine Forecast: Weekend Wind and Rain in Virginia, DC, Maryland

Tropical Storm Hermine appears ready to head off the coast of North Carolina on Saturday morning. The shape the storm takes off the coast is still unclear, but forecasters are predicting a dangerous scenario for coastal states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with the remnants of the storm lingering off the coast for several days.

"There is still considerable uncertainty as to how many of the characteristics of a tropical cyclone Hermine will have while it is off of the coast of the Mid-Atlantic and New England states," according to a statement by the National Hurricane Center. "Regardless of its structure, Hermine is expected to be a vigorous storm with a large wind field that will cause wind, storm surge and surf hazards along the coast."

At 8 a.m., the eye of Hermine was on the North Carolina coast. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, and moving east-northeast at 21 mph.

The storm will make its closest approach to southern Maryland on Saturday afternoon as the eye heads farther off the coast and stalls Sunday. A tropical storm warning is in place for southern and eastern Maryland.

"Impacts to the region are expected to range from near nothing in western Maryland, western Virginia, and West Virginia, to breezy conditions with some showers in the DC metro area, to heavy rain and tropical storm force winds in southern and eastern Maryland and over the Chesapeake Bay," according to the National Weather Service forecast for the region.

Rain bands may reach as far west as the D.C. and Baltimore metro areas, but should be "light and showery" in those areas. Winds may be more noticeable across the region, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph. Both rain and wind is expected to taper off in the metro areas late Saturday.

The storm may move back toward the coast late Sunday through Monday, possibly bringing more rain back toward the region before the storm's departure from the Mid-Atlantic waters Tuesday, according to forecasters.