Sorry, beachgoers: Hurricane Hermine is coming this weekend

Thinking about heading to the beach early this Labor Day weekend? A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning issued for parts of Georgia and Florida's Gulf Coast may rain on your plans.

Hurricane Hermine is expected to hit Florida's Gulf Coast early Friday morning, sweep across south Georgia and pass over North Carolina by early Sunday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for part of Georgia that will go into effect at noon Thursday and end midnight on Saturday.

Hermine is projected to pass over North Carolina by early Sunday morning, giving beachgoers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina some relief for the remainder of the weekend.

» For a detailed forecast, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution weather page

During the Labor Day weekend, temperatures in Atlanta are expected to start in the upper 60s then increase to the upper 80s.

“It looks like one of the best Labor Days, weather-wise, we’ve had in a long, long time,” Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Karen Minton said Wednesday.

For Atlantans looking to escape the crowds at Tybee Island, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, there are plenty of often-overlooked beaches to pick from.

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