inputs: hypothesis: Ernesto is the name given to a tropical storm. premise: Ernesto, now a tropical storm, made landfall along the coastline of the state of North Carolina near Long Beach in Brunswick County at 11:40 p.m. eastern time. Reports say the storm was near hurricane strength when it made landfall, but officials are welcoming the rain. "We need some rain around here - just not all at once," said Jean Evans, a worker for a convienence store in North Carolina's Holden Beach.