Hurricane Maria Now Cat. 1, Tropical Storm Warnings Issued For NC Coast

BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP) -- Hurricane Maria is now a Category 1 storm , with maximum sustained winds at 90 mph, moving north at 8 mph.

Swells generated by Hurricane Maria are increasing along portions of the southeastern United States coast and Bermuda and will be increasing along the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Maria is 425 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

"Wednesday into Thursday," says Meg McNamara, "it is predicted to make take this sharp turn taking it east away from the United States.

That could certainly be good news for Maryland.

In the mean time, Maria is expected to cause rough surf and dangerous rip currents.

The Maryland beaches are under a beach hazard statement until Monday evening for the lower Maryland Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach.

The National Weather Service says "nearshore large breaking waves of four to five feet will result in dangerous surf conditions and a high risk of rip currents."

Beachgoers are cautioned from entering or approaching the water due to a high risk of being swept away.

A tropical storm watch has been issued for the North Carolina coast from Surf City northward to the state's Virginia border.

The National Hurricane Center said Sunday evening that the tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area beginning Tuesday.

There is also a storm surge watch from Cape Lookout to Duck including the sound side of the Outer Banks.

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook

(TM and Copyright 2017 CBS and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)>

In:
• Hurricane Maria