Hurricane Hermine has weakened to a tropical storm as it continues up the East Coast.

Emergency officials and Beaufort County residents are bracing for Hermine, set to pass over the area Saturday morning.

On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning for eastern North Carolina. The county is also under a flood advisory into Saturday.

Parts of Beaufort County are at a heightened risk of storm surges, including the Pamlico River and Pungo River areas with expected storm surges 1 to 3 feet above the ground, according to NWS. The risk is higher in areas near Whichards Beach, Belhaven, Bath and smaller tributaries.

Storm track forecasts on Wednesday night showed Hermine shifting west along its path up the East Coast, placing eastern N.C. in a more direct line of the storm.

Beaufort County is expected to have 5-8 inches of rain over the course of the next couple of days, with some areas potentially seeing 10 inches of rain, according to NWS.

As of Friday, the storm will pass through northwest Florida and southern Georgia, traveling on a north-northeast path up to 65 mph, reports state.

John Pack, director of Beaufort County Emergency Management Services, said all emergency personnel in the municipalities has been contacted and are on standby.

He said the wet weather the county experienced this spring could cause more flooding because of ground saturation, and officials will be monitoring conditions in low-lying areas especially.

“I guess you could say we’re prepared, but there will be challenges as we go through this,” Pack said. “We’ve got people set up to watch that and to watch the levels.”

Officials will be at the operation center fielding calls, as well.

“That’s all subject to the storm,” he said of emergency plans. “Mother Nature controls that.”

Dr. Don Phipps, Beaufort County Schools superintendent, said he was out talking with the schools on Thursday to make a decision about how the schools should respond.

Schools will operate on a three-hour early dismissal Friday.

“You try to do the best you can based on the forecast,” Phipps said.

He said his main priority is getting students and staff safe at home before hazardous conditions begin.

Beaufort County Community College also decided to close early at 1 p.m. Friday.

Gov. Pat McCrory issued a state of emergency for 33 counties in eastern N.C. on Thursday afternoon.

Pack said he is grateful for all of the first responders working behind the scenes to ensure the public’s safety.

“Everybody’s set to go, according to them,” he said. “They’re putting a little extra time in.”

An Emergency Management email warned residents of potential hazards: downed trees affecting power lines, structures, or across roadways; flooding from road work or blocked storm drains; vehicle accidents; and unsecured property moving into the road.

Emergency crews have also lined up P.S. Jones Middle School as a shelter, if needed, and the Salvation Army and American Red Cross are also on standby.