Highly unusual for forming over land – in this case over northeast Florida on Tuesday – Julia was moving northeast just east of Savannah, Georgia, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said at 9pm.
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The storm, centered around southeastern Georgia, had gusting winds as strong as 40 miles per hour (65 kph).
Forecasts keep Julia parallel to Georgia and SC for the next 48 hours, posing threats such as heavy rain, gusty wind and an isolated tornado as it continues moving northeast at 6 miles per hour.
In a rare move, the National Hurricane Center elected to recognize the formation of a tropical storm over land late Tuesday. Its center was spinning about 185 miles east southeast of Charleston and inching gradually eastward.
Meanwhile, a new tropical depression has formed far out over the Atlantic and is moving west. The rain has been constant as the storm makes its way up the coast, making flooding a possibility.
For tropical storms, Julia is unique.
Schools are open in northeast Florida and Georgia, but parents in Glynn County, Georgia, were warned that bus service could be delayed by the storm.
Watches and warnings have been dropped in connection with Julia. In fact, it’s been 29 years since any tropical storm has formed over USA land anywhere – Beryl, which formed over southeastern Louisiana in 1988.
Tropical Storm Julia is moving north away from Florida this morning after rapidly intensifying overnight near Jacksonville.
Julia is moving at about 6 miles per hour (9 kph), and forecasters say it will meander near northern Georgia and southern SC coastlines into Friday. As authorities continued to monitor its effects, residents along the Atlantic were also keeping an eye cast on Tropical Storm Ian.
The storm formed over land in Georgia last night and is now sitting over parts of Georgia and SC.
The hurricane center said that the storm will continue on a westward path for the next five days while slowing some.
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