(AP) - Hermine has weakened to a tropical storm as it moves farther inland after making landfall in Florida's Big Bend area as a hurricane -- the first to hit the Sunshine State in more than a decade.



The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm's maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 70 mph with additional weakening forecast.



Hermine is expected to move through Georgia into the Carolinas and up the East Coast with the potential for drenching rain and deadly flooding.



Meanwhile, residents of the Hawaiian Islands are hoping Hurricane Lester follows Madeline and spares them a direct blow. Forecasters say Lester, a major Category 3 storm is on a track to pass just north of the island chain over the weekend, and its center isn't expected to make landfall. But if the storm veers to the south it could have a much greater impact.