Matthew, currently a Category 3 (major) hurricane in the Caribbean, will take a northward turn this weekend, which will bring the storm along the Atlantic coast of the United States next week.

While there will be some impact from the storm on the U.S., how significant impacts are along the Atlantic Seaboard will depend on Matthew's strength and proximity to the coast.

At this time, possible tracks range from an initial landfall along the southern Atlantic coast to a storm remaining a few hundred miles offshore.

From late this weekend into next week, the forward speed of Matthew will likely be a determining factor on impact on the U.S.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno cited some similarities of the weather pattern to that of Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

Hazel was responsible for 95 deaths and $281 million in damage in the United States, 100 deaths and $100 million in damage in Canada, and an estimated 400 to 1000 deaths in Haiti.

Hazel was first spotted east of the Windward Islands on October 5, [1954]. It moved through the islands later that day as a hurricane, then it moved westward over the southern Caribbean Sea through October 8. A slow turn to the north-northeast occurred from October 9-12, with Hazel crossing western Haiti as a hurricane on the 12th. The hurricane turned northward and crossed the southeastern Bahamas on the 13th, followed by a northwestward turn on the 14th. Hazel turned north and accelerated on October 15, making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Subsequent rapid motion over the next 12 hours took the storm from the coast across the eastern United States into southeastern Canada as it became extratropical.

"If Matthew moves swiftly, it has a greater chance of causing significant impact from rain, wind and flooding along along much of the Atlantic coast," Rayno said.

On the other hand, if Matthew's forward speed slows, it could still have significant impact on the Atlantic coast, but in a much smaller area, when compared to a fast-moving hurricane," Rayno said.

Matthew will first have to cross over or close to Cuba early next week, which will cause the hurricane to weaken. However, strengthening is likely as the storm pulls away from Cuba later next week.

Once the hurricane emerges north of Cuba, the exact track of the storm during the middle and latter part of next week will become more clear, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve Travis.