Tropical Storm Julia Forms Along Florida's Coast

Sept 13 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Julia, the tenth of the season, has formed along the coast of northeast Florida, the National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday.

Julia, about 60 miles (100 km) south of Brunswick, Georgia, has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), the center said, and a tropical storm warning has been issued from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, north to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.

The storm was expected to produce as much as 10 inches of rain in northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coastlines through Friday, raising the possibility of flash flooding, the center said.

The National Weather Service warned of dangerous wind gusts of 55 mph (90 kph) and rainfall that may result in evacuations in low-lying areas near the shoreline and along waterways from Jacksonville, Florida to Brunswick, Georgia.

“These wind speeds are the equivalent of a strong afternoon thunderstorm or a very strong local northeaster but will last for several hours,” the weather service said.