Hermine's High Winds, Rough Seas Might be Worst of It

Post-Tropical Storm Hermine finally reached Southern New England after days of forecasters trying to decide what the impact would be. A eastward shift in direction is sparing most of Massachusetts from any major impact, but the Cape and Islands and parts of Bristol and Plymouth Counties are still going to feel it.

The tropical storm warning remains in effect from for the Cape and the southeastern shore, where the highest wind gusts (up to 50-plus miles per hour) and most rain (up to 2 inches) is expected. Downed trees and power lines remain a possibility through 10 p.m. tonight, the National Weather Service warned.

The rest of the state will still see strong gusts, mostly in the 20s, while a gale warning covers the remainder of the Bay State's shoreline. Rainfall is expected to total less than a half-inch, with barely anything expected north and west of Boston.

• ALSO: Watch as Hermine Surf Pounds Cruise Ship Departing East Coast

Hermine is expected to "meander slowly offshore of the New England coast through Tuesday," the National Hurricane Service wrote Monday morning. The biggest danger remains out on the seas, where a high surf and strong rip currents will endure into Wednesday. Again, the worst of it is in Southeastern Mass. and the Cape and Islands. The National Hurricane Service said to expect significant beach erosion.

Hermine hammered Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, but was mostly offshore as it traveled northeast. Forecasters were unsure of which track it would take, but Massachusetts was always expected to get the residual impact of the tail end of the storm's trek north. The storm ended up drifting much farther east than expected.