This weekend, a low-pressure system will form off the coast of the Carolinas and Georgia, which could take on tropical or subtropical characteristics in the coming week.

This system is developing along the same frontal boundary that Francine churned up in the Gulf of Mexico in the days before this storm formed.

Currently, the National Hurricane Center believes that this region has a medium chance of developing into the next (sub)tropical depression or storm of the season.

This system will be embedded in the same old stationary front that has been over the Southeast for most of this month, and it could draw some energy from the front, the nearby warm Gulf Stream current, and some spin from the remnants of Francine.

These different energy sources could mean that this system will be more subtropical than tropical. Ultimately, this could mean that an unbalanced, not so pretty, and weaker system develops.

(MORE: What is a subtropical storm?)

As this system gets going, steering issues may arise over the weekend as the same ridge of high pressure that held up the remnants of Francine over the middle Mississippi Valley causes the same blockage. The low pressure system may meander offshore for a time.

If a robust low pressure system forms, it could move northwest early next week, but that formation is far from certain. It could also dissipate over the course of the weekend.

The target may shift as we gather more information over the next few days, but some locations along the Carolinas coast could see multiple inches of rain. Localized flooding is possible from Savannah to Cape Hatteras through Tuesday.

Winds will also be stronger on the southeast coast this weekend and early in the week.

Coastal flooding could be a concern in some of the usual hot spots from Virginia Beach to Charleston through the weekend.

Rip currents have already been a problem for coastal Georgia and the northeast coast of Florida. This hazard will move north into the Carolinas over the weekend and could become even stronger toward the end of the week.

Surf backflow and safety in the water:

– How to deal with surf backflow

– How to recognize a surf current

– What drowning REALLY looks like

Jonathan Belles is a graphic meteorologist and author for wetter.com for 8 years and also helps produce videos for The Weather Channel en español. His favorite weather is tropical weather, but he also enjoys covering extreme weather events and news and winter storms. He has two degrees from Florida State University and is a proud graduate of St. Petersburg College.