What We Know So Far
- Tropical Storm Ana at one point packed maximum sustained winds of 60 mph
- Ana is the first named storm of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season
- The storm weakened after making landfall and is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression.
Official forecast track for Ana:
Updates
The Weather Channel reported the storm's wind speeds are significantly decreasing as it hits land.
11 am ET Current radar/winds for #Ana as it moves inland. It will be downgraded to a tropical depression later today.
Tropical Storm Ana is weakening as it hits the Carolinas, according to reports.
The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by the end of Sunday, the Weather Channel reported.
There were no damage or injuries reported in North Carolina from the storm, WRAL reported.
"It's what has been expected in terms of it being a weak tropical storm," the station's meteorologist Mike Moss reported. "It didn't have enough time to move across warm waters to intensify."
The effects of Tropical Storm Ana were being felt in the U.S. early Sunday as rain and heavy winds slammed into the Carolinas.
Tropical-storm conditions are now affecting the U.S. and #Ana is expected to make landfall by early Sunday morning.
The storm was about 50 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, late Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm had generated maximum wind gusts of 60 mph, and by early Sunday local officials reported that both rain and wind were becoming more intense.
49 MPH Wind Gust just reported in NMB. Wind Gusts continuing to become more frequent with rainfall continuing, heavy at times. #scwx
Cool animation of #Ana as she approaches the coast. http://t.co/wWwznep3g7
Tropical storm Ana is expected to make landfall Sunday, and was about 65 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Saturday evening.
The storm was moving northwest at about 3 mph Saturday, the Associated Press reported. The National Hurricane Center forecasted between two and six inches of rain across the Carolinas.
2-4 inches of rain, with isolated 6-inch totals, are expected over portions of eastern North and South Carolina. #Ana
Stacy Stewart, a specialist at the National Hurricane Center, told the AP the biggest threats from the storm would include high surf, rip tides, and some potential flooding.
The National Weather Service has increased the amount of rain forecasted to hit the Carolinas.
2-4 inches of rain, with isolated 6-inch totals, are expected over portions of eastern North and South Carolina. #Ana
Meteorologists now say the tropical cyclone will make landfall on Sunday, with winds moving into the affected areas on Saturday evening.
#Ana is expected to make landfall on Sunday. Tropical-storm-force winds should move into the warning area tonight.
1-3 inches of rain is expected with #Ana, with isolated 5-inch totals, over parts of eastern North and South Carolina
Here's a live cam view of seas conditions from Frying Pan Tower, about 35 miles offshore from Cape Fear, North Carolina.
Ana has now been categorized as a tropical cyclone by the National Weather Service, which is warning the storm will reach portions of the coasts of the Carolinas later today.
A tropical storm warning is in effect in South Carolina for the South Santee River to Cape Lookout, as well as the Edisto Beach area.
People in eastern North Carolina and Virgina have also been advised to monitor the cyclone's progress.
Subtropical Storm Ana formed off the southeast U.S. coast on Thursday, becoming the first named storm of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season.
Ana, which was spawned nearly a month before the official start of the hurricane season, has characteristics of both tropical and non-tropical storms and threatens to bring heavy rain, wind, and surf to the Carolinas into the weekend.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Saturday morning that Ana had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, and was located 130 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The storm was crawling to the north at 3 miles per hour.
Ana was expected to transition to a tropical storm later on Saturday before making landfall near the North and South Carolina border.
A tropical storm warning is in effect from South Santee River, South Carolina, to Cape Lookout, North Carolina.
Ana is expected to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated amounts of 6 inches, over eastern portions of North Carolina and South Carolina through the weekend, the National Hurricane Center said.
Along the coast, Ana could bring 1 to 3 feet of storm surge flooding during high tide from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina southward through South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.
After moving ashore, Ana is expected to turn northeast and weaken as it moves up the East Coast.
An animation shows the surface wind pattern associated with Subtropical Storm Ana on Friday.
Reporting by Jon Passantino in Los Angeles.