Tropical Storm Chris expected to strengthen to hurricane off East Coast
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Tropical Storm Chris has prompted warnings to swimmers and surfers in South Carolina and is expected to become a hurricane overnight. The National Weather Service does not have any tropical storm or hurricane warnings in effect, but forecasters said swimming could be dangerous in South Carolina's Georgetown and Horry counties.
The weather service said current conditions could create currents than can sweep swimmers and surfers into rip currents or piers and jetties.
At 5 p.m., Chris was about 215 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. The storm is expected to be stationary and little motion is expected for the next day or so. It is expected to move northeast on Wednesday and Thursday.