Story highlights Current forecasts show Maria brushing North Carolina's coast late Tuesday into Wednesday morning

Maria has maintained Category 1 status, with sustained winds of 80 mph

(CNN) The East Coast braced for high winds and treacherous surf from Hurricane Maria, which was still churning in the Atlantic days after the storm caused widespread devastation in the Caribbean.

Maria will weaken to a tropical storm by Tuesday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. The dangerous core of the storm is expected to move well east of the southeast coast of the United States during the next day or so.

Maria maintained Category 1 status, with sustained winds of 80 mph on Monday, forecasters said.

"The good news is it is expected to stay weak, we don't expect any more intensification as it goes north," said CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar. "Then as it starts to veer out toward the east it's going to come into blocking mechanisms. This is good news. This prevents it from getting too close to the US to actually have a direct landfall."

North Carolina may bear the worst of the storm, as current forecasts show Maria brushing its coast late Tuesday into early Wednesday. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Bogue Inlet north to the Virginia border, as well as for Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.