ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Category 3 Hurricane Dorian is about 70 miles SSE of Charleston, South Carolina at 8 a.m. Thursday.

Dorian is now moving toward the north-northeast near 8 mph.

Rainbands from Dorian continue to affect the coast from Georgia to North Carolina right now.

SUMMARY OF 11 A.M.

LOCATION...32.5N 79.1W​

ABOUT 50 MI ESE OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA

ABOUT 140 MI SSW OF WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE 8 MPH

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...958 MB...28.29 INCHES

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles. 

Wind gusts of 45 to near 70 mph have been impacting the South Carolina coast this morning.

Charleston International Airport recently reported a wind gust of 61 mph.

A NOAA buoy located a short distance north of the eye, recently reported sustained winds of 60 mph and a wind gust of 76 mph. 

Tornadoes are also a threat for coastal South Carolina and North Carolina.

This threat will expand northeastward across the rest of eastern North Carolina during the afternoon and continue into tonight.

Tropical storm conditions are currently affecting portions of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts.  Hurricane conditions are expected along portions of the South Carolina coast later this

morning.

Tropical storm conditions are spreading along the coast of North Carolina and hurricane conditions will begin later today.

There is no significant change to the previous track forecast. The forecast motion should bring the core of Dorian very close to the coast of South Carolina today and over the Outer Banks of North Carolina tonight and Friday.

This should take the core of the hurricane very near, or possibly over, the coasts of South and North Carolina today and Friday.

After it passes the Outer Banks, the hurricane is forecast to accelerate northeastward. Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for southeastern New England.

Coastal areas of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia need to prepare for a storm surge, the threat of damaging winds and flooding due to heavy rainfall today and Friday.

Water levels will begin to rise well in advance of the arrival of strong winds and a storm surge of 3 to 8 feet is possible.

There is also a high risk of flash flooding over coastal sections of the Carolinas, where 6 to 12 inches of rain is expected and there could be isolated higher amounts.

Coastal Georgia is forecast to get 2 to 6 inches of rain. Far southeast Virginia could get 3 to 6 inches of rain and extreme southeastern New England 2 to 4 inches of rain.

Other Areas in the Tropics: 

Tropical Storm Gabrielle is in the Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph with higher gusts. 

It’s expected to strengthen this weekend but it’s not near any land.

It’s forecast to move northwest over the Atlantic Ocean.