COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Sandy becomes tenth named hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.
The National Hurricane Center has upgraded Tropical Storm Sandy to category one hurricane status as of 11 a.m. Wednesday.
This comes just before the storm is forecasted to make its first landfall in Jamaica.
The maximum sustained winds are at 80 mph with higher gusts.
The hurricane is currently moving to the north-northeast at 13 mph.
Hurricane Sandy is expected to make another landfall in southern Cuba before heading toward the central Bahamas.
Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for parts of southeastern Florida as well as parts of the Florida Keys.
The storm is currently forecasted to remain off shore of the United States but will still have impacts along the eastern coast of the U.S.
South Carolina will see dangerous rip currents, higher wave heights, wind, and rain as Sandy passes by on Saturday and into Sunday.
Stay with the SkyWACH Weather Team for the latest updates on Hurricane Sandy and the possible South Carolina impacts.
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