(July 17, 2008)--National Hurricane Center meteorologists named the third tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season Saturday afternoon.

Cristobal formed as a tropical depression less than one hundred miles off the South Carolina Coast late Friday.

It was officially named a tropical storm shortly after noon on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Warnings were posted from South Santee River, S.C. to the North Carolina/Virginia border.

Cristobal was already lashing the South Carolina coast with heavy rain and gusty winds late Saturday.

Forecasters expect the storm to graze the North Carolina coast Sunday before moving out over open water.

National Hurricane Center meteorologists were also keeping their eyes on Hurricane Bertha in the northern Atlantic Ocean.

Bertha is already one of the longest-lived tropical storms of all time, but isn't expected to last much longer.

The hurricane was losing its tropical characteristics as it moved into the colder waters of the far northern Atlantic late Saturday.

Meteorologists are now turning their attention to the western Caribbean Sea, where they say another tropical storm could form by Monday.

Air Force reconnaissance crews say the weather system is still ill-defined, but is packing winds of at least tropical storm force.

The system is moving west-northwest at nearly 20 miles per hour.

Forecasters are cautioning residents along the Yucatan Peninsula to monitor the storm's progress.

Visit Our Tropical Weather Page For The Latest Updates

Track Hurricanes From Your Desktop By Downloading Desktop Alert

Visit The National Hurricane Center's Website

Visit The National Weather Service's Website