While there are still scenarios that would take Hurricane Joaquin out to sea, the possibility of the hurricane reaching the Eastern United States coast is gaining merit.

Joaquin is forecast to continue to gather strength just northeast of the Bahamas during the next couple of days before it begins its northward run along the East coast. The system is forecast reach Category 3 strength.

The storm will bring pounding surf, dangerous seas, strong winds, drenching squalls and flash flooding to the central Bahamas. Wind gusts could reach between 75 and 100 mph on some of the islands.

As a result Joaquin will threaten lives and property in the Bahamas through Thursday, before turning northward.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe issued a state of emergency on Wednesday night throughout the entire state in response to the recent flooding and in preparation for Joaquin.

The most likely scenario is for Joaquin to be guided westward this weekend with possible landfall between North Carolina and southern New Jersey on Sunday.

Exactly where the system rolls ashore and progresses inland will define the worst conditions in terms of wind and flooding. It is too early to say for sure exactly where Joaquin may move onshore.

Should Joaquin track into northeastern North Carolina, conditions may get very nasty over the Delmarva Peninsula with significant rain, wind and coastal flooding westward to the Chesapeake Bay, including the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas. Conditions could approach that of Isabelle.

Should Joaquin track into the Delmarva Peninsula, then similar very rough conditions would occur from Delaware to New Jersey, including areas westward through the Delaware Bay region, including Cape May, New Jersey, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Philadelphia. Conditions could approach or exceed that of Irene.

A less likely path for Joaquin is to stay at sea directly avoid land, with less severe impact along the coast this weekend into early next week.

At this venture, people along the coast from the Carolinas to southern New England should be prepared for the possibility of hurricane conditions with everything from inland to coastal flooding and strong winds.

Many areas can expect rounds of heavy rain on top of what has already fallen with the next dose set to begin as early as Thursday night in the mid-Atlantic.

The result from the storms, whether or not topped off from Joaquin, will still produce widespread flooding.

Inland Flooding

Preceding the arrival or close approach of Joaquin will be another dose of heavy rain during Friday and this weekend. Motorists and airline passengers should be prepared for delays. Some neighborhoods could become flooded.

Many football fans heading to games this weekend will get drenched, and the likelihood of muddy parking lots exists. Baseball fans may have their last games of the regular season postponed.

Each subsequent round of rain will bring increasing runoff that will find its way from storm drains to streams and eventually larger rivers. As a result, flooding will progressively become more widespread.

Like flash and urban flooding, coastal flooding and beach erosion with this event are a given.

Even if Joaquin stays at sea and curves away, there will still be a non-tropical component of the storm that delivers minor to moderate coastal flooding and stiff winds over a broad area from the Carolinas to the New England coast.

The strength of the east to northeast winds will depend on the strength of Joaquin and or the non-tropical storm to the south. Winds could become strong enough to down trees and power lines and cause minor property damage.

Check back for updates/