Tropical storm Ana, a bit weaker, nears coast of Carolinas

People gather on the beach to watch the big surf from Tropical Storm Ana in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Saturday, May 9, 2015. Beachgoers were warned away, emergency officials kept a watchful eye and at least one graduation ceremony was forced indoors as Tropical Storm Ana plodded toward the Carolinas on Saturday in an early heaping of rough weather weeks ahead of the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP) People gather on the beach to watch the big surf from Tropical Storm Ana in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Saturday, May 9, 2015. Beachgoers were warned away, emergency officials kept a watchful eye and at least one graduation ceremony was forced indoors as Tropical Storm Ana plodded toward the Carolinas on Saturday in an early heaping of rough weather weeks ahead of the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. (Matt Born/The Star-News via AP)

By Associated Press May 10, 2015 1 min read

MIAMI (AP) – Tropical Storm Ana has weakened slightly as it moves closer to the coast of South Carolina.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ana was centered at 2 a.m. EDT Sunday about 20 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina and had top sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph). It said the storm was moving to the north-northwest at 5 mph (7 kph).

Forecaster say Ana is expected to reach the coast of northeastern South Carolina or the southern area of North Carolina later Sunday morning. It says further weakening is expected as Ana moves over cooler waters close to the coastline before heading inland.

A tropical storm warning remains from the South Santee River in South Carolina to Cape Lookout North Carolina.