The outlook for Hurricane Sandy’s D.C. impact is darkening.

The National Weather Service amplified its forecast Sunday night, now calling for 5 to 10 inches of rain and gusts of wind up to 70 miles per hour Monday afternoon in the D.C. area. Meteorologists had previously called for between 4 to 8 inches of rain, which prompted a flood watch for D.C. between Sunday night and Tuesday evening.

The hurricane is projected to hit central New Jersey the worst, but the agency advised that the storm’s force would be enough to cause power outages and downed trees around D.C. It warned residents to stay inside throughout the day and prepare for “widespread flooding” in the region.

A “potentially life-threatening” storm surge is also likely to strike along the Atlantic coast, Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said during a press briefing Sunday.

The storm, which caused University officials to cancel Monday classes, now sits about 250 miles off the Atlantic coast.