There’s a growing chance that an area meteorologists are monitoring in the tropics could develop into a storm around the southeastern United States. If the system comes to fruition, heavy rain, gusty winds and rip currents could hit Florida,

Forecasters are watching an area around Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coasts for tropical development during the July 4 weekend.

The Fourth of July holiday is quickly approaching, but millions of people in Florida and the Southeast are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast that could halt outdoor and beach plans across the region.

There is now a 60 percent chance that a tropical depression forms near the United States this Independence Day weekend, but those along the Gulf Coast can breathe easier for now. The National Hurricane Center has shifted where forecasters think the disturbance will form from the Gulf to the southwestern Atlantic, off the Southeast coast.

Storms and downpours could put a damper on plans for 72 million Americans expected to travel during the Independence Day holiday period.

Revelers traveling for July Fourth festivities may face delays due to stormy weather as the country braces for the busiest week of Independence Day air travel in 15 years