Tropical Depression two, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph has now been upgraded to Tropical storm Bonnie by the National Hurricane Center. The storm was centered about 150 miles south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, moving northwest at 10 to 15 mph as of 5 p.m.
Forecasters are saying that heavy rains, strong winds, and dangerous waves could hit the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida over the weekend, causing some flooding in low-lying areas. The entire South Carolina coast is under a tropical storm warning, although no evacuations have been ordered at this time.
The NHC is forecasting that some additional strengthening is possible tonight as Bonnie moves over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Gradual weakening is forecast on Sunday. At this time, the Tropical Storm warning includes the areas that surround the Savannah River to the Little River Inlet in South Carolina.
People along the coast of the Carolinas can expect a storm surge of one to two feet above ground level during the next high tide on Sunday morning, and as much as five inches of rainfall. Areas further inland can expect one to three inches.
Beach-goers are advised to pay heed to local weather and beach warnings. With this tropical storm, life-threatening surf and rip current conditions are expected along portions of the southeastern coast of the country. So please obey local beach advisories.
Bonnie is the second weather system of the Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Alex was our first and was located in the far eastern Atlantic in January. Alex threatened the Azores island group far off the coast of Portugal, but never came close to the U.S. according to Reuters.