The first Atlantic tropical storm of the year weakened as it continued its approach toward the shores of North Carolina and South Carolina early Sunday.
It should make landfall in the morning hours, right around the state line.
The center of Tropical Storm Ana lay 20 miles southeast of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as of 2 a.m. ET, the National Weather Service said. It crept forward at 5 mph.
Ana’s maximum sustained winds have dropped to around 50 mph from 60 mph Saturday afternoon. The storm is expected to further weaken as it moves over colder water close to the coast.
But it is likely to bring rain and storm surges.
Ana is forecast to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain — in isolated spots up to 6 inches — over the eastern Carolinas, the weather service said.
During high tide, storm surges could send 1 to 2 feet of water onto coastal land. Combined with rain, that could cause flooding in low-lying spots, the weather service said.
Beachgoers should take Ana seriously — high rip currents could sweep swimmers on the shores out to sea, and waves are expected to be rough.
Tropical-storm-strength winds — at least 39 mph — extend out over 100 miles from the center of the storm. The weather service’s watch and warning extends from South Santee River, South Carolina, to Cape Lookout, North Carolina.
The winds could break tree limbs, cause scattered power outages and do minor damage to porches, awnings, carports and sheds, said the NWS Wilmington, North Carolina.
“Interests elsewhere in eastern North Carolina and Virginia should monitor the progress of Ana,” the National Weather Service said.
Ana is forecast to curve north and head up the East Coast as it weakens further.