Remnants of Beryl head back toward Atlantic

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl headed toward the Atlantic on Wednesday, skimming the Carolinas coast and prompting flood watches in eastern North Carolina. Beryl was expected to gain strength even as it was losing its tropical characteristics.

Heavy rains from the storm caused some scattered street and lowland flooding near Wilmington, N.C., as the system approached.

Loris., S.C., near the border of the two Carolinas, received more than 3 inches of rain and radar showed heavy showers along the Interstate 95 corridor in the two states.

The tropical depression gained some strength overnight and winds increased to near 35 mph.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said the storm was losing its characteristics as a warm core weather system as it interacted with a weather front. The center was located 5 miles west of Wilmington and was moving northeast at 20 mph.

Forecasters said Beryl was expected to become a post-tropical storm by late Wednesday and could strengthen to maximum 50 mph winds well out in the Atlantic by Saturday. Tropical storm force winds of more than 39 mph were expected to stay off the North Carolina coast Wednesday so no coastal warnings had been posted.