A weakening Tropical Storm Emily is expected to dump 6 to 12 inches of rain on Haiti and Cuba Thursday and Thursday night before traveling on a path northward off the Atlantic coast of Florida.

At 2 p.m. (Aug. 4), a weakening Emily had sustained winds of 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center.

But the storm is expected to gain strength as it passes within 100 miles of Florida on Saturday (Aug. 6). Rough surf and rip tides are predicted for Florida and the Southeastern states, but because the system will be so close to land, Ocean City is not likely to see big surf early in the weekend.

The latest National Hurricane Center models have Emily passing well east of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras at hurricane strength at 8 a.m. Monday (Aug. 8). That's when Ocean City and the New Jersey coast could possibly see big waves generated by the distant storm. Depending on the strength and track of the storm, the rough surf could continue through the first part of the week.

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