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According to the National Hurricane Center, meteorologists have issued tropical storm warnings for coastal areas of the Carolinas.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight, which has not yet formed but is expected to do so soon, is expected to make waves from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, within the next 48 hours. More than 2 million people in the area are under tropical storm warnings Monday.

From Sunday evening, tropical storms may develop along the coast, eventually causing flooding, heavy wind gusts and storm surges in the affected area.

“The combination of dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be inundated by rising waters flowing inland from the coastline,” the hurricane center said.

The forecast calls for storm surge to reach 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 centimeters) along the South Santee River in South Carolina, up to Oregon Inlet in North Carolina, the Neuse and Bay Rivers in North Carolina, and the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers in North Carolina.

The disorganized disturbance has maximum sustained winds estimated at 45 mph and was moving toward the northwest at 3 mph, hurricane center meteorologists reported in their 2 a.m. update. The potential tropical cyclone is located about 115 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

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The system is expected to become a tropical storm on Monday and will be named Helene. “The forecast track has the center of the system approaching the coast within the warning area on Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said.

According to the hurricane center, the disruption could increase in the hours before the hurricane makes landfall due to very warm waters in the Atlantic Ocean and relatively low wind shear.

Heavy rain will be a concern for the work week. “Through Wednesday, Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will bring 3 to 6 inches of rainfall with isolated totals near 8 inches across northern and northeastern portions of South Carolina, along with the North Carolina Coastal Plain,” meteorologists said.

The forecast calls for 2 to 4 inches of rainfall with isolated totals of up to 6 inches extending into northern Virginia. “This rainfall could result in isolated to scattered flash and urban flooding and minor river flooding,” meteorologists warn.

The storm’s arrival is expected as much of the region has already seen above-average rainfall this year. That’s largely due to Debby, a tropical depression that caused a flooding emergency in Charleston more than a month ago and dumped 6 to 12 inches of rain widely across the Carolinas.

As with all rotating tropical systems that make landfall, a few tornadoes are possible and some could touch down in eastern North Carolina on Monday.

Flood warnings have been issued for more than 8 million people in the Carolinas, including Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

“The system will bring the potential for scattered flash flooding and urban flooding and minor river flooding across eastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina tonight through early Tuesday. There is also a risk for isolated flash flooding and urban flooding across much of the Mid-Atlantic region through Wednesday,” meteorologists said.