COLUMBIA, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford and his emergency preparedness team received hourly updates on Hurricane Isabel as portions of the state were placed under a tropical storm watch Tuesday.

"We don't think any evacuation is necessary at this point, but if there is a sudden turn, our emergency responders are ready," said Will Folks, the governor's spokesman.

Sanford held conference calls early Tuesday with the team and later with mayors and county officials from along the Grand Strand area, Folks said. "They are continuing to watch the storm closely, they are monitoring it on an hourly basis," he said.

Forecasters said the hurricane's maximum sustained wind had decreased to about 105 mph, but said it was possible Isabel could strengthen again before landfall.

The storm appeared headed for the North Carolina coast, probably hitting land Thursday and moving northward through eastern Virginia.

A hurricane watch was posted from Little River along the South Carolina-North Carolina state line north to Virginia.

A tropical storm watch was posted from the Santee River north to Little River, covering Georgetown and Horry counties.

If the storm turns and hits the state, Sanford could call on members of the South Carolina Air National Guard who stand ready with generators, emergency light systems or heavy equipment, Lt. Col. Les Carroll said.

"Our people and equipment are available," said Carroll, spokesman at McEntire Air National Guard Station near Eastover.

Some 1,200 men and women are based at McEntire. Those who are support units for the F-16 Fighting Falcon jets based there could be used in an emergency should the hurricane hit South Carolina, Carroll said.

"We have the ability to go to war, we also have the ability to respond and assist in a time of need," he said.

Units at the installation reviewed the status of their equipment last week and updated their lists of available personnel, he said.

The C-17s at Charleston Air Force Base were staying put as Isabel holds to a path north of the state, said base spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Pamela Smith. About half the installation's 53 aircraft are deployed elsewhere around the world, she said.

"We have regular meetings to update the situation, but we have no need to move any aircraft at this point," she said.

Units at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter have updated their evacuation plans but also saw no need to take any action Tuesday, said base spokesman Sgt. Mark Sanders.

"At this point, we are just monitoring the situation," Sanders said.