SE coast storm could become tropical

The National Hurricane Center said a low-pressure system off the Southeast coast could still turn into a named tropical storm, but it isn't there yet.

A hurricane hunter aircraft sent to examine the storm Wednesday found the low pressure system centered about 250 miles southeast of Wilmington "has not acquired tropical characteristics."

The hurricane center in Miami said the system has the potential to turn into a named storm on Thursday as it drifts westward toward the U.S. coast.

Either way, the system will bring strong winds, coastal flooding, high surf, and dangerous rip currents to big chunks of the East Coast over the next couple of days.

Meteorologist Robert Digiorgi at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Wilmington said winds will strengthen as the day goes on Thursday.

Oh, joy ...