Tropical storm hits Florida

Tropical Storm Claudette, the third of the Atlantic hurricane season, moved ashore along the United States Gulf coast last night, the US National Hurricane Centre said.

Claudette hit land near the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island, just southeast of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Its centre will cross the western portion of the Florida panhandle and swirl into southern Alabama.

Claudette is likely to weaken to a tropical depression. Tropical Storm Ana has faded to a tropical depression but Tropical Storm Bill is expected to whip up into a "major" category three hurricane by Saturday.