Tropical storm warnings issued for Carolinas
Alex is expected to move toward land by Monday afternoon
(CNN) -- The first named tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed Sunday, prompting tropical storm warnings to be issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said.
The tropical depression became tropical storm Alex when its winds reached 39 mph (63 kph).
Although Alex has been relatively stationary for much of the day, it is expected to begin a slow drift toward the north or north-northeast by Monday afternoon. During the next 24 hours, the center of the storm will be approaching the South and North Carolina coasts.
A tropical storm watch has been issued by the National Weather Service for north of Cape Hatteras to Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. In South Carolina, a tropical storm watch remains in effect from Edisto Beach to South Santee River.
At 11 p.m. ET, the tropical storm was located near latitude 31.5 north and longitude 79.2 west, or about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.
Maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph (65 kph) with higher gusts, the hurricane center said. Tropical storm force winds were extending outward up to 60 miles.
Rainfall accumulations of one to two inches, with isolated higher amounts, can be expected with this storm, the weather service said.
The Atlantic hurricane season started June 1 and runs through November 30.
