Tropical Storm Cristobal heads toward ocean

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dolly drenched Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and was expected to reach the Gulf of Mexico Monday afternoon.

At 11 p.m. EDT Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Cristobal's center had moved to 30 miles east of Cape Hatteras with maximum sustained winds near 50 mph. The storm was headed northeast at 9 mph.

The advisory predicted little change in strength over the next day or two.

Cristobal's strongest winds were east of the center, out at sea, National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Bandy said.

Bandy said some rain had fallen over the smoldering wildfire that has burned 64 square miles in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge since it was started by lightning June 1.

The Weather Service said Cristobal was expected to produce up to an inch of rain along the North Carolina coast during the next 24 hours.

The prospect of seeing Cristobal head out to sea pleased a fishing captain at Ocracoke, an island south of Cape Hatteras.

"Let's get it over with so we can go fishing," said Capt. David Nagel, who has operated the "Drum Stick" charter boat for 31 years. "Nobody's out. Everybody's tied up."

Nagel said he saw ominous clouds looming to the south and the seas outside his harbor were 6 to 8 feet with winds blowing about 25 mph.