Tropical Storm Nestor forms in Gulf of Mexico, could bring rain and strong winds to NC

RALEIGH (WTVD) — A tropical storm could bring rain to North Carolina this weekend.

Tropical Storm Nestor is gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Nestor officially became a tropical storm on Friday afternoon. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour and was moving northeast at 22 mph as of the 2 p.m. advisory.

Nestor is expected to move northeast into the Florida panhandle and eventually up through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

The National Hurricane Center says dangerous storm surge and tropical storm-force winds are expected into Friday night. Nestor is expected to make landfall sometime during the day Saturday.

After hitting land, it will weaken and turn into an area of low pressure. That system will move across North Carolina on Sunday.

It will mostly be a rain event, but wind gusts could get up to 45 miles per hour in some areas.