Another winter storm could hit the East Coast this weekend with snow and wind. Here are the possible impacts and timing.

Forecasters are warning that another winter storm could slam the East Coast this weekend with the potential for heavy snow, strong winds and coastal flooding. The forecast comes on the heels of a massive winter storm that dumped heavy snow and ice over a large swath of the U.S. this past weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and creating dangerous travel conditions.

“There is an increasing risk for a rapidly strengthening coastal storm this weekend,” Carl Erickson, who oversees forecasting operations at AccuWeather, said in an email. “Communities along the East Coast still digging out and cleaning up from last weekend’s storm could be hit again with more snow.”

Possible timing and impacts

Meteorologists say the storm could develop on Friday near the Southeast coast into Saturday and then travel north up the Atlantic Seaboard over the weekend.

Friday night: Parts of the Southeast could see rain and some wintry precipitation. Rain is most likely south of Interstate 10 from Louisiana to Florida, according to AccuWeather. North of Interstate 10 across parts of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia could see a wintry mix of snow and rain.

Saturday: Along the Southeast coast, the winter storm could strengthen, with heavier snow and stronger winds.

Sunday: The storm could reach peak intensity with strong winds, snow and coastal flooding.

Monday: The storm could linger in parts of New England in the morning before moving on.

It’s early in the forecast, but here’s what we know so far

Strong onshore winds capable of causing power outages and some coastal flooding at high tide threaten the East Coast from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to New England, meteorologists say.

The winter storm is expected to gain strength as it moves northeast off the East Coast on Saturday, bringing snow north from the Carolinas to New England into Sunday.

The eastern half of the U.S. will also continue to experience frigid temperatures into next week, according to the National Weather Service’s Prediction Center.

What we still don’t know

The exact track of the storm remains uncertain several days out, according to forecasters. “How fast the storm strengthens will be a determining factor in the final track of the storm this weekend and whether or not it moves up the East Coast,” said AccuWeather long-range forecasting expert Paul Pastelok.

The storm’s path will determine how much snow will impact the East Coast and how far inland high winds and coastal flooding could reach.

“How intense and close the storm tracks are will determine the strength of the winds and severity of coastal flooding and beach erosion from North Carolina to Massachusetts and Maine,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. “If a bomb cyclone were to unfold and track close in, moderate to major coastal flooding could occur.”

If the storm is weak or is slow to gain strength, then it’s more likely to track along the Gulf Coast and move farther out over the Atlantic Ocean before it moves north.

However, a stronger storm is more likely to pivot northward sooner, increasing the chances of snow along the East Coast.