(MCT) — MIAMI — After slamming eastern Cuba early Thursday as a bigger, stronger and deadlier storm than expected, Hurricane Sandy churned toward what could be a wicked Halloween eve visit to the northeastern United States from a massive hybrid weather system quickly dubbed “Franken-storm.”

Sandy was weakening but still expected to generate at least one more day of nasty weather across South Florida, with storms and tropical storm-force gusts brushing the coast Friday — conditions bad enough for many schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to cancel classes. (Friday was already a teacher work-day in Dade and Broward public schools.)