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Hanna continues to approach the Carolina coastline, where it will slam onshore late tonight before racing through the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor this weekend. Dangerous Hurricane Ike remains over the open waters of the Atlantic, churning towards the Bahamas.
The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports Hanna was less than 430 miles south of Wilmington, N.C., at 5 a.m. EDT. The storm is forecast to slam onshore between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, S.C., late tonight.
Maximum sustained winds at 5 a.m. were near 65 mph with higher gusts. Hanna will move over warm water and through an environment with little wind shear prior to landfall, allowing the storm to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane. If Hanna fails to develop into a hurricane, its impact on the Carolina coastline as a strong tropical storm will remain virtually the same.
A hurricane watch is in effect from Currituck Beach Light, N.C., to north of Edisto Beach, S.C.
A tropical storm warning is in effect from the Altamaha Sound, Ga., to Chincoteague, Va., including the Pamlico and Related News
Video: Latest Weather Update
Vlog: Meteo Madness - Hanna Forecast Maps
Vlog: Frank Strait - Hanna and Ike Update
Blog: Elliot Abrams - Hanna Makes Its Move
Albemarle sounds. The warning also extends northward into the Chesapeake Bay to Smith Point, Va.
A tropical storm watch is in effect from Chincoteague, Va., northward to Sandy Hook, N.J., including the Chesapeake Bay (north of Smith Point), the Tidal Potmac, Washington, D.C., and the Delaware Bay.
Landfall is not slated until late tonight, but Hanna is already impacting the Southeast. Gusty winds and the outer rain bands of Hanna are currently brushing over the Florida Peninsula. Rough surf continues to pound the entire Southeast coast.
The South Regional News story reports the arrival of Hanna will be preceded by increasing rain, wind and surf along the Southeast coastline today. Conditions will rapidly deteriorate tonight over the eastern Carolinas and southeastern Virginia as Hanna begins to move inland.
After landfall, Hanna will race up the coast of the mid-Atlantic and New England Saturday into early Sunday. Potentially damaging winds and heavy rain will accompany Hanna through the Interstate 95 corridor.
The East Regional News story reports the rain will spread over the Northeast well ahead of Hanna's arrival. The rain will reach southern New England by dawn Saturday.
The fast pace of Hanna after landfall will prevent rainfall totals from reaching the extreme amounts recently reported from Gustav in the Mississippi Valley. Rain amounts will range from 2 to 4 inches from eastern South Carolina to southern New England this weekend. Up to 8 inches will deluge eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia.
Residents and motorists should be prepared for flash flooding to ensue, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas and along smaller streams. Flood-related watches have been issued.
Flooding from Hanna's storm surge may also become an issue along the coastline of the Carolinas tonight into early Saturday. A surge of 5 to 8 feet above normal water levels is expected near and east of where Hanna comes onshore.
As was the case with Gustav and other landfalling tropical systems, Hanna has the potential to spawn tornadoes. The threat zone for tornadoes to touch down lies over eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia tonight into early Saturday.
The strong winds accompanying Hanna will batter places roughly 12 to 18 hours after the storm's rain arrives. Hurricane-force wind gusts will whip across the central East Coast, while 40 to 60 mph wind gusts will be experienced across the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor.
The winds have the potential to down small trees, tree limbs and power lines. The stronger winds over the central East Coast could cause more widespread tree damage, as well as greater damage to loose objects and structures.
Everyone along the East Coast should closely monitor Hanna through today, preparing their homes and businesses and reviewing emergency plans. Those living and visiting the Carolina coastline should heed any evacuation orders that are issued.
CNN reported that North and South Carolina and Georgia have opened emergency centers ahead of Hanna's arrival. No mandatory evacuations have been issued, but South Carolina's Governor Mark Sanford urged residents of the state's two northeast counties, Horry and Georgetown, to evacuate voluntarily.
Hundreds of Marines graduated from basic training a day early at Parris Island, S.C. Officials moved the graduation to Thursday to avoid Hanna causing problems for families attending the festivities.
The Associated Press reported the governors of Virginia and North Carolina have declared states of emergencies.
Officials are also preparing for dangerous Hurricane Ike, which could threaten the Southeast next week. While sending hundreds of truckloads of waters, meals and other supplies to the East Coast, FEMA left some resources along the Gulf Coast in the event Ike makes landfall.
At 5 a.m., Ike remained a dangerous major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. The storm, a Category 3 hurricane, was spinning less than 460 miles north of the Leeward Islands.
Ike will continue on a west to southwest track the next several days, posing a serious threat to lives and property across the Bahamas later in the weekend into early next week. Rain and wind from Ike may impact South Florida on Tuesday. Swells from Ike will begin to batter more of the Southeast coastline the day or two before.
Hanna continues to approach the Carolina coastline, where it will slam onshore late tonight before racing through the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor this weekend. Dangerous Hurricane Ike remains over the open waters of the Atlantic, churning towards the Bahamas.
The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports Hanna was less than 430 miles south of Wilmington, N.C., at 5 a.m. EDT. The storm is forecast to slam onshore between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, S.C., late tonight.
Maximum sustained winds at 5 a.m. were near 65 mph with higher gusts. Hanna will move over warm water and through an environment with little wind shear prior to landfall, allowing the storm to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane. If Hanna fails to develop into a hurricane, its impact on the Carolina coastline as a strong tropical storm will remain virtually the same.
A hurricane watch is in effect from Currituck Beach Light, N.C., to north of Edisto Beach, S.C.
A tropical storm warning is in effect from the Altamaha Sound, Ga., to Chincoteague, Va., including the Pamlico and Related News
Video: Latest Weather Update
Vlog: Meteo Madness - Hanna Forecast Maps
Vlog: Frank Strait - Hanna and Ike Update
Blog: Elliot Abrams - Hanna Makes Its Move
Albemarle sounds. The warning also extends northward into the Chesapeake Bay to Smith Point, Va.
A tropical storm watch is in effect from Chincoteague, Va., northward to Sandy Hook, N.J., including the Chesapeake Bay (north of Smith Point), the Tidal Potmac, Washington, D.C., and the Delaware Bay.
Landfall is not slated until late tonight, but Hanna is already impacting the Southeast. Gusty winds and the outer rain bands of Hanna are currently brushing over the Florida Peninsula. Rough surf continues to pound the entire Southeast coast.
The South Regional News story reports the arrival of Hanna will be preceded by increasing rain, wind and surf along the Southeast coastline today. Conditions will rapidly deteriorate tonight over the eastern Carolinas and southeastern Virginia as Hanna begins to move inland.
After landfall, Hanna will race up the coast of the mid-Atlantic and New England Saturday into early Sunday. Potentially damaging winds and heavy rain will accompany Hanna through the Interstate 95 corridor.
The East Regional News story reports the rain will spread over the Northeast well ahead of Hanna's arrival. The rain will reach southern New England by dawn Saturday.
The fast pace of Hanna after landfall will prevent rainfall totals from reaching the extreme amounts recently reported from Gustav in the Mississippi Valley. Rain amounts will range from 2 to 4 inches from eastern South Carolina to southern New England this weekend. Up to 8 inches will deluge eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia.
Residents and motorists should be prepared for flash flooding to ensue, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas and along smaller streams. Flood-related watches have been issued.
Flooding from Hanna's storm surge may also become an issue along the coastline of the Carolinas tonight into early Saturday. A surge of 5 to 8 feet above normal water levels is expected near and east of where Hanna comes onshore.
As was the case with Gustav and other landfalling tropical systems, Hanna has the potential to spawn tornadoes. The threat zone for tornadoes to touch down lies over eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia tonight into early Saturday.
The strong winds accompanying Hanna will batter places roughly 12 to 18 hours after the storm's rain arrives. Hurricane-force wind gusts will whip across the central East Coast, while 40 to 60 mph wind gusts will be experienced across the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor.
The winds have the potential to down small trees, tree limbs and power lines. The stronger winds over the central East Coast could cause more widespread tree damage, as well as greater damage to loose objects and structures.
Everyone along the East Coast should closely monitor Hanna through today, preparing their homes and businesses and reviewing emergency plans. Those living and visiting the Carolina coastline should heed any evacuation orders that are issued.
CNN reported that North and South Carolina and Georgia have opened emergency centers ahead of Hanna's arrival. No mandatory evacuations have been issued, but South Carolina's Governor Mark Sanford urged residents of the state's two northeast counties, Horry and Georgetown, to evacuate voluntarily.
Hundreds of Marines graduated from basic training a day early at Parris Island, S.C. Officials moved the graduation to Thursday to avoid Hanna causing problems for families attending the festivities.
The Associated Press reported the governors of Virginia and North Carolina have declared states of emergencies.
Officials are also preparing for dangerous Hurricane Ike, which could threaten the Southeast next week. While sending hundreds of truckloads of waters, meals and other supplies to the East Coast, FEMA left some resources along the Gulf Coast in the event Ike makes landfall.
At 5 a.m., Ike remained a dangerous major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. The storm, a Category 3 hurricane, was spinning less than 460 miles north of the Leeward Islands.
Ike will continue on a west to southwest track the next several days, posing a serious threat to lives and property across the Bahamas later in the weekend into early next week. Rain and wind from Ike may impact South Florida on Tuesday. Swells from Ike will begin to batter more of the Southeast coastline the day or two before.
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