Claudette, after causing weekend trouble, is racing away from the U.S. Coast.
\r\n
\r\nAs of 5 p.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Claudette was located near 37.5 N, 72.1 W, or about 280 miles south-southwest of Nantucket, Mass. Its maximum sustained winds increased slightly to 45 mph, and it was racing east-northeast at 29 mph. The system’s minimum central pressure dropped to 1004 mb, or 29.65 inches of mercury.
\r\n
\r\nAfter bringing heavy rain, severe weather and gusty winds to the Southeast this past weekend, today's rains are associated with a cold front pushing toward the Eastern Seaboard. 
\r\n
\r\nAll Tropical Storm Warnings have been discontinued along the North Carolina coast.
\r\n
\r\nAlready, the Atlantic hurricane season is off to a fast, albeit harmless start. One storm, Ana, jumped the gun, forming in the west central Atlantic in May, before the “official” start to the season on June 1. Earlier this week, the second named storm of the season, Bill, formed along the Carolina coast and then motored past the Canadian Maritimes. Neither of these systems impacted land.
\r\n
\r\nLast year, however, was a different story, with a record 30 named storms. Eleven of those struck the United States, which also was a record.