Hanna races toward Carolinas

MIAMI, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Hanna raced closer to the U.S. coast late Friday, heading north at almost 20 mph.

At 11 p.m. EDT, the center of the storm was 60 miles south-southeast of Charleston, S.C., and about 140 miles south-southwest of Wilmington, N.C., the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported. The storm was expected to hit the coast early Saturday.

The maximum sustained winds were almost 70 mph, close to hurricane strength, with tropical storm force winds extending 290 miles from the center.

Tropical storm warnings were posted from Edisto Island in South Carolina to Watch Hill in Rhode Island, with a tropical storm watch from Watch Hill to the Merrimack River in Massachusetts.

The hurricane center's three-day track for the storm places it over Nova Scotia Sunday and northeast of Newfoundland by Monday. Hanna was expected to hit New Jersey and New York later Saturday.

Forecasters said the storm was not expected to gain much strength before making landfall, although it could regain hurricane status. It is expected to weaken over land.

Southern ports were closed Friday. City offices and schools in Charleston shut down Friday, CNN reported.

Gov. Mike Easley of North Carolina declared a state of emergency for coastal areas Thursday.