Sandy is expected to have a minor impact on Beaufort County beginning Friday evening and ending by Sunday morning, according to Vern Beaver, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Charleston.

"What we are expecting, for now, is a glancing blow," he said Wednesday.

High surf, the chance of coastal flooding, wind and a greater risk of rip currents are expected for the weekend as Sandy continues her course up the East Coast. The worst conditions in Beaufort County likely will be Saturday, Beaver said.

The effects will be confined to the coast, he said. Even though the high surf attracts people to the water, they should be careful in or near the ocean, Beaver said. Light, loose outdoor objects should be secured.

"Most people will experience a windy day, and that will be it," he said.

-- By staff writer Erin Moody