Tropical storm warning issued for South Carolina coast

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — Parts of the South Carolina coast were under a tropical storm warning Monday as forecasters expect a tropical depression to strengthen before it makes landfall and drop large amounts of rain along the Georgia and South Carolina coastlines.

The tropical storm warning stretches from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, northeastward to South Santee River, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The tropical depression was about 145 miles (235 kilometers) east-southeast of Beaufort, South Carolina, late Monday morning, the hurricane center said. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts.

The fast-moving system could reach the Georgia and South Carolina coasts as early as Monday night, forecasters said. And tropical storm-force winds are expected to be felt along the South Carolina coast as early as Monday afternoon, the hurricane center said.

The storm could produce between 1 and 3 inches (3 to 8 centimeters) of rain with higher amounts in some coastal areas.

In Savannah, Georgia, all systems are go for Tuesday night’s Savannah Bananas home baseball game. Officials for the collegiate summer league team planned to cover the field with tarp on Monday in preparation for the game.

“For us, being on the coast and being in Savannah, we get some nasty pop-up storms that can dump an inch of rain in just a few hours,” Bananas President Jared Orton said Monday. “This one doesn’t look like much more than just a nice, passing day of rain. I think we’re good to go as long as the sun comes out tomorrow and it should be a beautiful night in Savannah, I would think.”

A U.S. Air Force Reserve aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system Monday evening to give forecasters more data.