RICHMOND, Va. -- Hermine was upgraded to a hurricane at 3 p.m. Thursday as winds reached 75 mph. It is slated to make landfall in western Florida tonight, and it will then track across southern Georgia. The latest forecast track brings the center of the storm over South Carolina then towards Outer Banks.
With this updated track, the impact for much of Virginia will not be very high. We will still see some rain Friday night and Saturday, with the best chance of heavier rain closer to Virginia Beach, where over two inches may fall. Coastal areas could see wind gusts in excess of 40 mph, along with high waves and strong rip currents. Virginia Beach and the east coast of the Eastern Shore could see waves in excess of 12 feet.
For the Richmond metro area, rainfall may total under one-half inch, but some gusts over 30 mph will be possible. Areas well northwest of Richmond will see the least amount of rain. For areas near the coast for the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, gusts over 40 mph will be possible, and there will be an increase in the tides.
With the potential for wind speeds near 40 mph near the coast, tropical storm watches have been issued for the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and the Eastern Shore.
Here is the spaghetti plot of all of the computer models, showing there is still a range of possible tracks:
As Hermine hits Florida, the data acquired will help the computer models do a better job in the forecast track. This forecast track may change a bit more over the next 24-36 hours. Additional information is in the CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.
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