Tropical Storm Andrea Prompts Storm Warning on Coast

Portions of the Virginia coast are under a tropical storm warning as Tropical Storm Andrea is expecting to impact the east coast by Friday afternoon.

Hurricane season 2013 started June 1 and Tropical Storm Andrea is the first named storm of the season. The updated forecast Thursday morning from the National Weather Service includes a tropical storm warning from the North Carolina border to Cape Charles Light, including the lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort.

• See the latest on Tropical Storm Andrea from The Weather Channel.

But the worst of the storm will likely be behind it by the time we see any impacts, according to the National Weather Service.

"Andrea is probably near its peak intensity since strong shear should halt any significant intensification before landfall," according to the NWS.

At 7 a.m. Thursday, the storm was still off Florida's Gulf Coast, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph.

The local forecast notes that coastal flooding is possible along the Potomac River on Friday, but notes Andrea's exact course is still unknown. 

Hurricane Season 2013 Predictions

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in late May predicted an "active" hurricane season with the Atlantic seeing three to six "major hurricanes" before the season ends in November.

NOAA predicts: 

• Thirteen to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher)
• Of those 13 to 20 storms, the outlook says seven to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).

"These ranges are well above the seasonal average of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes," according to NOAA's advisory staff.

Virginia Emergency Management has resources available to prepare for hurricane season, which sees the most activiity in late August and September. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

More on the 2013 Hurricane Season

• Hurricane Names for 2013 Season