Hurricane Sandy Brings Wind, Rain

The storm that's already claimed two dozen lives is steaming through the Atlantic tonight on a collision course for the Northeast at the start of next week.

But on Saturday, Hurricane Sandy will pass the South Carolina coast, drenching the region and kicking up gail-force winds that gust up to 50 mph, according to local forecasters.

Conditions will continue to deteriorate throughout the evening up until the storm's arrival around midnight tonight, according to National Weather Service Charleston. Rains and strong winds will continue throughout most of Saturday.

Rough seas will create conditions that are hazardous for just about all marine craft, and there is an increased chance for rip currents. Flooding will mostly be isolated to low-lying areas that typically wash out during heavy rains, but structures will not be impacted, the Weather Service predicts.

Dubbed Frankenstorm for its massive size and already carved path of destruction, Hurricane Sandy is expected to have its largest impact in the Northeast where it could combine with cold fronts to create a disastrous situation. The storm is on track for a Monday collision with New York, New Jersey, and parts of Delaware and Virginia.

"This will ... be a catastrophic storm for the Middle Atlantic and Northeast," said Justin Roberti, AccuWeather meteorologist. "It will not be a purely tropical system, with a core of powerful winds near the center, but rather more like a Nor'Easter, with strong winds over a larger area."

Residents there are bracing for a storm surge as high as 5 feet in some parts as well as widespread power outages and property damage. Heavy wet snow could be a problem for the West Virginia mountains.

The biggest concern for northern interests is the length of the storm.

"Expect it to move very slowly," James Franklin of the National Hurricane Center told CNN. "The large size of the system and its slow motion will mean a long-lasting event with two to three days of impacts."

Sandy is the 18th named storm of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season.