A hurricane warning has been issued for parts of the Texas coast in the US as Tropical Storm Hanna threatened to bring heavy rain, rough waters and strong winds.

Hanna was centered about 195 miles (350 kilometres) east of Corpus Christi, Texas, the US National Hurricane Centre said. The storm had maximum sustained winds around 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving west at 10 mph (17 kph).

Hanna was forecast to make landfall on Saturday afternoon or early evening.

Forecasters said Hanna could bring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain and coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Hanna broke the record as the earliest eighth Atlantic named storm, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.

Officials said that those in the Windward Islands should monitor the storm as it is expected to approach the islands Saturday. Some strengthening was possible but the storm is expected to weaken as it moves into the Caribbean Sea.