OUTER BANKS, NC (CBS6 News) – Hurricane Dorian, which strengthened slightly Wednesday afternoon as it heads toward the Carolinas, will impact the Outer Banks and Virginia Friday.

The storm’s core is forecast to approach the coast of South Carolina, near Charleston, on Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is expected to run parallel along the coast of the Carolinas through Friday.

Hurricane Dorian continues to maintain a strong Category 2 strength, with max sustained winds of 105 mph as of 6 p.m. Wednesday

The storm will take a more northerly track, and eventually move northeast as it accelerates along the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic coasts. On this track, the Richmond Metro Area will experience gusty winds in the range of 30-40 mph and rainfall amounts from .25″ to 1″. Winds will gust along the Coast and Bay from 40-60 mph.

Conditions will worsen the farther east you go from Richmond, with flooding and damaging winds likely across far southeast Virginia.