Hurricane Watch Issued for Carolinas

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Forecasters issued a hurricane watch for the North and South Carolina coasts Thursday, and Virginia's governor declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Ernesto gained strength over the Atlantic.
The watch, stretching from South Carolina's Santee River to Cape Lookout in North Carolina, means hurricane conditions, with sustained winds of at least 74 mph, are possible within 12 hours.
For residents who have long weathered hurricanes in this vulnerable region, Ernesto's wind was less of a concern than the threat of flooding. Thunderstorms have been drenching North Carolina for more than a day, and Ernesto could bring half a foot of rain.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,211477,00.html