Tropical Storm Fay picked up some speed and strength as it moved closer to land Friday — and is expected to dump 2 to 4 inches of rain as it passes through the tri-state area, forecasters said.

The rains may result in flash flooding where the heaviest amounts occur, the US National Hurricane Center said in its 5 a.m. advisory.

The storm is moving north around 10 mph and producing top sustained winds of 50 mph, forecasters said. Earlier observations showed it moving at 8 mph with top sustained winds of 45 mph.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Cape May, New Jersey, to Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The warning area includes Long Island and the Long Island Sound.

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm are forecast for Friday evening, with gusty winds possible. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches also are possible, according to the National Weather Service.

Fay is the earliest sixth-named storm on record, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. The previous record was Franklin on July 22, 2005, he said.