Story highlights The system will likely become Tropical Storm Nate soon

The storm is forecast to hit the US Gulf Coast this weekend

(CNN) Though summer officially ended almost two weeks ago, hurricane season is still in full swing, with a new storm forming in the southwestern Caribbean near Central America.

Despite being more than 1,000 miles away from the US and only in its infancy, the storm could reach the Gulf Coast by this weekend. Those with Columbus Day weekend plans anywhere along the eastern half of the Gulf Coast region should pay very close attention as a hurricane landfall is looking very possible.

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The system is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Nate before making landfall near Puerto Cabezas on the eastern coast of Nicaragua on Thursday morning. The storm will continue to cross through eastern Honduras later in the day before heading back out into open water.

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