Hanna turns north; tornado warnings issued

Tropical Storm Hanna approached hurricane strength and began turning north this afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The first bands from Tropical Storm Hanna brought the threat of tornadoes to eastern North Carolina. Tornado warnings were issued for Carteret and Onslow counties for doppler-radar indicated rotations with the first storm bands earlier this morning. There were no sightings of tornadoes reported.

The National Weather Service considers tornadoes to be a high threat for areas east of the Hanna as the storm makes its way up the Southeast coast.

As the first rains from Tropical Storm Hanna began to fall this morning, the storm appeared to be getting better organized as it approaches land, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At 2 p.m. today, Hanna's winds increased to 70 mph and movement was to the north at 20 mph. Storms with winds of 75 mph are classified as hurricanes. The area is under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning.

Forecasters said they did not expect Hanna to become a hurricane before landfall early Saturday morning, but also could not rule out the possibility.

The forecast track of Tropical Storm Hanna shifted west early today, pinpointing a landfall in South Carolina early Saturday morning. The storm did move a little west during the morning, but is now moving north, and forecasters said the storm would be approaching the South Carolina coast late tonight or very early Saturday morning.

Though a tropical storm warning still remains for the area, the storm's strongest winds may not impact the Havelock area if the storm stays on the forecast track.

The National Weather Service in Newport is now calling for winds of 50 mph for the area, down from a predicted 60 on Thursday. Still, those winds are of tropical storm force and could cause power outages and minor damage from blowing debris, officials said.

A tropical storm warning means winds of 40 to 74 mph are likely within 24 hours. The area is also under a hurricane watch, meaning winds of 75 mph are possible. The hurricane watch has been posted in case Hanna strengthens as it approaches the coast.

Hanna is a wide storm, so the National Hurricane Center is stressing to residents to not be too concerned about the exact point of landfall. The forecast track moves Hanna ashore near Myrtle Beach S.C., early Saturday morning and follows a path into eastern North Carolina along Interstate 95.

However, tropical storm force winds of up to 74 mph extend 315 miles from the center of the storm, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible by late today. On the current forecast track, the entire eastern portion of the state could experience tropical storm winds with the storm.

The National Weather Service office in Newport is calling for tropical storm conditions in the area later today.

The weather service is advising residents to be prepared for 3 to 5 inches of rain, winds of 50 mph and water rises of 2 to 4 feet on the Neuse River. That could lead to possible flooding in low-lying areas along the river such as in the Adams Creek area.

Waves along the Carteret County beaches could reach 12 feet during the peak of the storm with a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet.

The threat of tornadoes and strong banding thunderstorms is high, according to the National Weather Service.

At 2 p.m. today, the center of Hanna was located at 29.8 north and 78.5 west, about 310 miles south of Wilmington. Winds were at 70 mph and movement was toward the north at 20 mph. The storm is expected to continue moving north until landfall, according to the hurricane center, then later move northeast through North Carolina and weaken over land. With an increase in forward speed, Hanna could be out of the area by the middle of the day Saturday, according to forecasters.

Also of possible concern for eastern North Carolina is Hurricane Ike, a tight storm with 120 mph winds. According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm appears to be drifting to the southern end of forecast models, and the forecast track has shifted south, sending the storm around the southern tip of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico along Florida's western coast.

However, the hurricane center continues to stress that there is a high degree of uncertainty in the long-range forecast.