MIAMI — Florida’s Gulf coast was bracing Thursday for a hit from Tropical Storm Hermine, which forecasters said could make landfall as a hurricane.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Florida’s Big Bend from the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach. And on the East Coast, a tropical storm warning was issued for an area that extended from Marineland, Florida, northward to the South Santee River in South Carolina.

Hermine’s maximum sustained winds Thursday morning were near 100 kph. Some strengthening was forecast and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hermine was expected to be a hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida on Thursday night or early Friday.

As of 8 a.m. EDT Thursday, Hermine was centred about 380 kilometres west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, and was moving north-northeast near 19 kph.

Residents in some low-lying communities in Florida were being asked to evacuate Thursday as the storm approached. The Tallahassee Democrat reported that emergency management officials in Franklin County have issued a mandatory evacuation notice for people living on St. George Island, Dog Island, Alligator Point and Bald Point. Residents in other low-lying areas prone to flooding were also being asked to evacuate.

Florida’s Big Bend area has a marshy coastline and extends from just east of the Apalachicola River in the Panhandle to roughly the Cedar Key area, which is west of Gainesville. It is made up of mostly rural communities and smaller cities off the beaten paths of Interstate 10 and Interstate 75.

In South Carolina, Friday night lights will be Thursday night lights in many areas. News outlets reported that high school football games in many areas will be played Thursday night because Hermine was expected to bring heavy rains to the state Friday.

In Charleston County, emergency officials have a message for residents: Stay home on Friday. The storm is expected to flood streets in the Charleston area which can see high tide flooding even on sunny days.

Elsewhere, in the Pacific Ocean, heavy rains hit parts of Hawaii and strong waves pummeled shorelines as a downgraded yet potent Pacific storm passed near the island state.

Though Tropical Storm Madeline was no longer a hurricane, the weather’s uncertainty couldn’t let Hawaii’s Big Island relax.

There were periods of intense rainfall Wednesday as the National Weather Service downgraded Madeline, with winds falling below hurricane strength of 74 mph.

“That heavy rainfall is interspersed with sunny patches,” said Kanani Aton, spokeswoman for Hawaii County Civil Defence.

Officials said residents should continue to be prepared for more rain, strong winds and high surf overnight. The rainfall may lead to dangerous flash floods and mudslides, the weather service warned.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Lester was about 1,000 miles from Hawaii and expected to drop to a tropical storm by Sunday.