Rain - heavy in some places - began falling across the Richmond region late this afternoon as Tropical Storm Hanna made its way toward land.

By 5 p.m., the storm was on the verge of becoming a hurricane again, although once it makes landfall, Hanna would likely lose power, weather experts said.

Tropical storm watches and warning are in effect from Georgia to Rhode Island through the weekend.

The National Weather Service this morning issued a flash flood watch for much of the eastern half of Virginia for late tonight through tomorrow evening. The entire Virginia coast is under a tropical storm warning.

Hanna could dump 3 to 4 inches in this region and 2 to 4 inches in southeastern Virginia, the National Weather Service said. The rainfall could be higher in spots. Western Virginia should get less.  Northern Virginia could get 4 to 8 inches of rain, said Andy Woodcock, a National Weather Service meteorologist. 

The storm could produce winds of 15 to 25 mph locally, gusting to 40 mph, and 30 to 40 mph in Hampton Roads, gusting to perhaps 60 mph, the Weather Service said today.

The heaviest rain should hit the Richmond area between dawn and noon tomorrow and between midnight and mid-morning in southeastern Virginia, Weather Service meteorologist Mike Montefusco said this afternoon.

Diminishing rains should continue into tomorrow evening.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine declared a state of emergency yesterday, a precaution that freed state agencies to respond quickly to troubles.

Hanna is forecast to strengthen slightly before making landfall in eastern North Carolina late tonight. While its exact track remains uncertain, the most likely effects in Virginia will be limited to heavy rain, high winds and possible tornados.

While the impending storm has shuffled high school football games locally, it has not yet changed this weekend's NASCAR race schedule at Richmond International Raceway.

Drought has damaged many trees' roots, increasing the likelihood that Hanna's winds could push those trees onto power lines, said Dan Genest, a Dominion Virginia Power spokesman.

"We're taking it seriously," Genest said.

Kaine asked Virginians to prepare for a serious storm but added that Hanna "should not be catastrophic."

He said Virginians should be prepared to take care of themselves, without power, for three days. That involves stocking up on food, water, batteries, medicine and other supplies.

The state of emergency activated Virginia's post-disaster price-gouging law for 30 days, Attorney General Bob McDonnell said.

Anyone who suspects price gouging as a result of the storm can report it to the state's Office of Consumer Affairs at 804-786-2042.

The rain could prove beneficial because most of Virginia either is abnormally dry or suffering from drought.

"Another good soaking rainfall certainly appears to be in store," Weather Service meteorologist Bill Sammler said.

Hanna moved past the Bahamas yesterday with winds near 65 mph and was expected to head northwest today toward the United States.

After Hanna hits North Carolina tomorrow morning, it should move up eastern North Carolina and across eastern Virginia.

The storm should pass beyond Virginia to Delaware by early tomorrow evening, Weather Service meteorologist Lyle Alexander said.

Dorothy Toolan, a spokeswoman for Dare County, N.C., which includes most of the Outer Banks, said the barrier islands are expecting winds of 35 to 40 mph tonight and tomorrow morning but no significant flooding or damage.

The storm is expected to dump about 2 inches of rain on the Outer Banks.

Toolan said county officials did not consider evacuating any of the roughly 60,000 people now on the Outer Banks, half of whom are tourists.

Amtrak said it was canceling most of today's passenger trains through Richmond and would update the cancellation plan today.

Contact Rex Springston at (804) 649-6453 or rspringston@timesdispatch.com.

Staff writers Bill Geroux and Peter Bacque contributed to this report.