The Tribune

UPDATE: BONNIE IS NOW A TROPICAL STORM. A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AS THE SYSTEM NEARS THE COAST OF THE US. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE 45-MILES PER HOUR.

A TROPICAL storm warning has been issued for the South Carolina coast of the United States after forecasters said the second tropical depression of the year formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said the warning extends across the entire South Carolina coast. The warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in the area within 36 hours.

The depression has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was centred about 435 miles southeast of Charleston and well to the north of the northern Bahamas on Friday evening. Moving west-northwestward or northwestward towards the south eastern US coast, it is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Bonnie on Friday night.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the coast on Saturday night. About two to four inches of rain is expected to fall over parts of coastal Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

The depression has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was centered about 435 miles southeast of Charleston and well to the north of the northern Bahamas.

The storm will bring bad beach weather to the coastal Carolinas, Florida and Georgia for the Memorial Day weekend, including rip currents, potentially heavy rain and battering waves. By late on Saturday, winds are anticipated to increase along the South Carolina coast, and will continue through Sunday. These winds may increase to 40 mph near the coast and on the water.