Tropical Storm Julia bringing heavy rain to Florida, Georgia
MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Storm Julia was bringing heavy rain Wednesday morning to the northeast coast of Florida and southeast Georgia.
The slow-moving storm could cause flash flooding and was expected to produce 3 to 6 inches (76 to 152 mm) of rain in some areas through Friday, according to the U.S. The National Hurricane Center.
The Hurricane Center also said an isolated tornado was possible across coastal Georgia and southern South Carolina on Wednesday.
A tropical storm warning had been in effect Wednesday morning from Fernandina Beach to the Altamaha Sound in Georgia but was later canceled.
By 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Julia was centered about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Brunswick, Georgia, and moving north near 7 mph (11 kph). Its maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (64 kph). The storm was expected to weaken to a tropical depression later in the day.
Along the Georgia coast, one of the state's largest school systems warned of possible school bus delays due to the storm. The Glynn County School System said in a statement Wednesday that despite the potential for delays on some bus routes, schools would remain open Wednesday and operate as usual.
At Tybee Island Maritime Academy on Georgia's Tybee Island near Savannah, principal Patrick Rossiter said he was keeping close tabs on the latest storm reports and radar Wednesday.
Rossiter walked to school Wednesday morning in stiff, swirling winds and a steady drizzle, he said.
"If things worsen, we hunker down right here," he said by phone. But classes were in session Wednesday and "so far, everything is a go," he said.
Nearby, "we're flying our double red flags at the beach, which basically means the beach is closed," Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman said Wednesday. High tide on the island is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, and Buelterman said the hope was that copious amounts of rain would not drench the island around that time.
Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Ian was moving north in the central Atlantic but still was no threat to land. In the Pacific, Hurricane Orlene continued to weaken.