Tropical Storm Hermine Could Reach 'Near Hurricane' Strength Before Hitting Georgia

A tropical storm picking up steam in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to make landfall late Thursday and sweep through the southern parts of Georgia.

With sustained winds of about 45 mph, Tropical Depression Nine picked up enough strength to become Tropical Storm Hermine Wednesday afternoon.

Late Wednesday morning, it was stalling off of Florida's Gulf Coast. But by late afternoon it was moving again, heading north-northeast at nearly 7 mph. National Hurricane Center forecasters said that speed is expected to pick up heading into Thursday.

"Additional strengthening is forecast during the next 36 hours, and Hermine could be near strength by the time landfall occurs," the center said in a 5 p.m. update.

On its present course, the storm is expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Thursday before crossing the state and heading into the southern portion of Georgia and on to South Carolina.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles from the storm's center, mainly to the east and southeast.

Coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to receive a total of 4-8 inches of rainfall from the storm, with local amounts as much as 10 inches possible through Saturday morning.

By Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service had issued tropical storm watches for all of southeast Georgia and most of northwest Florida.

A tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency was warning south Georgia residents on Wednesday to stay aware of the storm's progress.

Patch's Sherri Lonon contributed to this report.

Images courtesy National Hurricane Center