CHARLESTON -- A hurricane warning was issued for the North Carolina coast Monday as Tropical Storm Alex, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, made its way closer to the Outer Banks.

The storm had maximum sustained winds near 70 mph as of 11 p.m. and was expected to grow into a hurricane in the next 24 hours. The warning was issued for the North Carolina coast from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet.

The storm was centered about 95 miles south of Wilmington, N.C. Tropical-storm-force winds extended out 105 miles from the storm center -- expected to pass near the North Carolina Outer Banks today -- and the storm was moving toward the northeast at nearly 9 mph.

Officials recommended Hatteras Island residents stay off the road today as gusts reach hurricane force.

"We expect gale-force winds most of the day," Dare County, N.C., spokeswoman Dorothy Toolan said.

Although swimmers were warned to beware of strong currents, surfers tried their luck with the storm swell.

"It's been fun," said 20-year-old Matt Stuhr after surfing at Ocean Isle Beach. "I caught some pretty good rides this morning."

Alex started as a tropical depression Saturday and spun in place off the South Carolina coast most of Sunday. By midday Monday it began moving parallel to the coast of the Carolinas.

Only two hurricane seasons on record have a first tropical depression forming later than July 31. But forecasters said a late start has no bearing on hurricane activity.

Boaters around Charleston were warned to be on the lookout for waterspouts. The storm brought scattered showers along the coast as rain bands spun onshore.

Southern Beaufort County wasn't affected in any significant way as the storm passed.

"It was just not anything," said Jay Harter, Town of Hilton Head Island emergency management coordinator.

Harter said the town couldn't use the storm for training because it formed during the weekend.

"The timing wasn't right to make it a practice," he said.

Beaufort County's Emergency Management Department also couldn't use the storm as a practice exercise, said director William Winn.

The county was never included in any of the tropical storm watches or warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

Mike Wagner, operations manager for Shore Beach Services, said riptides weren't seen along Hilton Head's beaches Sunday or Monday.

"We really haven't had too many problems with water conditions," he said. The tide was higher than normal, but that was mainly because of the cycle of the tides.

Wes Tyler, assistant state climatologist, said the area saw a trace of rain and slight winds Sunday.

On Monday, rains from the storm fell over the Lowcountry sporadically. About 0.14 inches of rain had fallen by late afternoon, according to midisland gauges at the Broad Creek Public Service District.

The National Weather Service in Charleston predicted a 40 percent chance of rain today with highs around 90 degrees.

While Alex largely missed South Carolina, officials are making plans for the rest of the storm season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

Gov. Mark Sanford is hold a briefing today in Columbia to discuss plans, preparations and procedures for the 2004 hurricane season.

Packet staff writer Jessica Flathmann contributed to this report.