Hurricanes

Tropical Storm Hanna Hits Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ/AP) ― Tropical Storm Hanna has hit the Carolinas. Statewide, the Eastern Shore was expected to get the worst of the storm.

In Ocean City, the storm moved in with rain and a violent surf.

Mike Hellgren reports tropical storm warnings were up for most of the state.

The winds and the waves made their presence known as Hanna moved across Maryland.

Hanna became Ocean City's latest attraction as the winds howled. And as the waves built, so did the crowds on the beach. They took pictures, in awe of the storm.

People sat on the umbrella boxes like they were bleachers at the game, watching nature's show.

"I think it's incredible, and the waves over here, I mean this is quite something to see," said a tourist.

Winds were so strong, crews had to remove those boxes off the beach. The winds even turned the iconic ferris wheel on the south end of the boardwalk.

Despite warnings to stay out of the water, surfers tried to catch waves, and jet skies buzzed on the churning Atlantic.

"The beach patrol actually advised people to stay out of the water today because of the dangerous currents," said one beach-goer.

Rip currents, in particular, will still be vicious after the storm.

"They think the ocean is their backyard pool, and very rarely do you get sucked into the other end of the pool," said Captain Butch Arbin.

Beach patrol canvassed the coastline. Ocean City emergency management closely monitored the storm preparing well before the first white caps and gusts of tropical wind.

Seats from the ferris wheel were removed, and just about anything that could blow away sits in a big pile in a parking lot at the south end of the boardwalk. 

"We beefed up staffing on the law enforcement and fire side for response as well as the medical," said Joe Theobald.

"Even minor storms can cause problems if you're not prepared for them, and I think people have learned that. I think they certainly understand that in Ocean City," said Rick Meehan, Ocean City Mayor.

Hanna moved quickly. The brunt of it struck in the light of day. Those were two positives for safety as a tropical threat proved deadly in the past. It still carried a force not to be taken for granted. 

Tropical Storm Hanna forced some campers to leave nearby Assateague Island National Seashore, but the famous wild horses weathered the storm just fine.

Ranger Christopher Seymour says the ponies know where to find sheltered spots on the barrier island off the Maryland-Virginia coast. He says some of them even sleep through big storms.

Tent campers weren't so lucky. Park managers asked them to leave their campsites in the national park as the storm blew in.  Campgrounds in the Maryland state park section of the island were closed on Friday and will reopen Sunday.

(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)