Hurricane Gaston Comes on Shore in South Carolina and is Downgraded to Tropical Storm

South Carolina (HDW) August 29, 2004 - AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE HURRICANE WARNING IS CHANGED TO A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING NORTH OF EDISTO BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA TO
LITTLE RIVER INLET SOUTH CAROLINA. ALL OTHER WARNINGS ARE
DISCONTINUED.

AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GASTON WAS
LOCATED INLAND NEAR LATITUDE 33.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.5 WEST OR
ABOUT 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA.

GASTON IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 8 MPH AND A NORTHWARD TO
NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER WILL CONTINUE MOVING OVER EASTERN SOUTH
CAROLINA TODAY AND OVER NORTH CAROLINA LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY
MONDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
STEADY WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS GASTON
CONTINUES MOVING OVER LAND.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES FROM THE
CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 992 MB...29.29 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING ALONG THE COAST WILL DIMINISH. STORM SURGE
FLOODING OF UP TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL IS STILL POSSIBLE NEAR THE
HEADS OF RIVERS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL AREA.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...
ARE EXPECTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH GASTON.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER NORTHEASTERN SOUTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

REPEATING THE 11 AM EDT POSITION...33.2 N... 79.5 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 60 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 992 MB.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 2 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 PM
EDT.

FORECASTER PASCH