Communities along the U.S. East Coast prepared for heavy rain, flooding and high winds from an approaching storm, dismissing schools early on Friday and canceling weekend events ahead of an expected landfall in North Carolina on Saturday.
Although the system had reached tropical storm strength, it wasn't yet given a name and the National Hurricane Center was still referring to it as Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen on Friday morning. The hurricane center defines a potential tropical cyclone as a disturbance posing a threat of tropical storm or hurricane conditions to land within 48 hours.
