Miami (970 WFLA) - A tropical system off the coast of Nicaragua strengthened into Tropical Storm Nate Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters expect the storm to become a hurricane by early Sunday that could threaten the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the western Florida panhandle. The National Weather Service office in Ruskin says that the Tampa Bay area could get heavy rains, winds and higher tides than normal. It could also raise the danger of rip currents.