Forecast to be an active 2013 tropical weather season, it didn't take long at all into this 'hurricane season' to spin up the Gulf of Mexico's first tropical storm. With max winds at 60 mph, tropical storm Andrea is now beginning to move on shore east of the Big Bend region of the Florida coastline. The storm is expected to cause minimal impacts to the central Gulf coast, though dangerous surf conditions remain along the beaches from Naples (FL) all the way to Mississippi.  'Red Flag' warnings remain posted along Alabama beaches.

More than a dozen swimmers ignored the warnings yesterday, requiring lifesaving heroics to pull them from the dangerous rip currents.  Ten of those swimmers were rescued from the high surf Wednesday in the waters off Alabama's Dauphin Island.

Here's the official 2:00 p.m. (EDST) National Weather Service update on Andrea:

"Tropical storm conditions are beginning to move onshore along the west coast of Florida as Tropical Storm Andrea approaches landfall, which is expected later today. Andrea will then quickly move to the northeast with the center of circulation forecast to be in North Carolina by Fri. afternoon. Heavy rainfall, minor to locally moderate storm surge & isolated tornadoes are possible in affected areas "