The Category 1 storm hit with winds around 80 miles per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Centre.
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Florida’s Gulf coast was bracing Thursday for a hit from Tropical Storm Hermine, which forecasters said could make landfall as a hurricane. At least one person died when a tree crashed down on his tent, Marion County officials said.
The biggest threats Friday will be flash flooding from the heavy rainfall in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
The storm is moving north-northeast near 14 miles per hour with the potential for drenching rain and deadly flooding.
As Hermine moved north, Georgia Power estimated about 19,000 homes and businesses were without power statewide.
Hoegg said persistent winds from the east and northeast are projected to push several feet of water from the Atlantic Ocean onto dry land along the Shore, resulting in unsafe flooding. He said he’s seen bad storms before, but with his time winding down on the beach, the weather being brought in by Hermine isn’t bad enough to keep him off the pier.
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for parts of North Carolina, Georgia and SC until 4 p.m.
“We think it’s moving out pretty quickly, utilities are ready in case of power outages”, McCrory said at a news conference Friday.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe also declared a state of emergency, warning that the storm could bring “life-threatening” storm surges to popular destinations such as Virginia Beach. Rough seas, unsafe surf and strong storm surge up the coast as far north as CT.
While localized flooding has been reported, officials warned of downed wires and the possibility of electrocution, as well as blocked roads from trees and debris.
Some strengthening was forecast and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hermine was expected to be a hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida on Thursday night or early Friday.
More than 253,000 customers in Florida were left in the dark. Hardest hit was Tallahassee, where almost 70,000 customers lost power. More than 22,000 customers were without power in the area Friday morning, utility Duke Energy said.
So the Labor Day weekend is looking good, but travel on Friday could be risky across the state.
A tropical storm warning is now in effect for seven New Jersey counties: Monmouth, Ocean, eastern Burlington, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem, according to the National Weather Service.
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The storm will likely hit New York sometime Sunday, and a storm watch has been issued for the tri-state area, according to NBC New York.
