Hurricane Olga weakened into a tropical storm yesterday, but wasn't expected to fade out for two or three more days, forecasters said.

Olga weakened to tropical storm strength early yesterday east of the Island.

The system, with top sustained winds down to near 70 mph, was heading southwest at a speed near 17 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It was expected to maintain that course and speed through today, the end of the six-month hurricane season, while keeping enough strength to maintain a tropical storm for several more days.

Olga remained a direct threat only to shipping while spinning beach-pounding waves off toward Bermuda, the Bahamas, northeastern Caribbean islands and the US Atlantic coast.

A heavy surf advisory was in effect from Jupiter Inlet in central Florida to Flagler Beach in northeast Florida. Flagler County officials declared a state of emergency, saying the heavy surf was threatening at least two beach homes and an exposed stretch of State Road A1A.

Olga is the 15th named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season, which ends today, and its ninth hurricane.

Weather forecast, Page 60