Hurricane Center tracking area of low pressure. Here’s how it could affect Myrtle Beach, SC this weekend

An area of low pressure off the coast of Florida could bring flooding, rain and gusty wind to the Myrtle Beach area this weekend.

This coastal low has a 30% chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm in the next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The system is expected to reach the Myrtle Beach area by Friday, bringing 1 to 2 inches of rain and wind gusts between 25 to 30 miles per hour, said Ian Botman, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas, and river flooding could occur as well, Botman said. The Waccamaw River in Conway is currently in a minor flood stage and the soil is already wet, which increases the likelihood of flooding.

Meteorologists are paying attention to this area of low pressure because it is forming over warm waters during hurricane season, which means it could become more powerful.

“In a very simple sense, high pressure means good weather, and low pressure means bad weather,” Botman said.

Coastal lows that form over cool water are sometimes called nor’easters.