MIAMI (AP) – The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for parts of North Carolina as Arthur moves north off Florida’s coast, threatening Fourth of July plans for thousands of people.
The warning issued Wednesday stretches from Little River Inlet to the North Carolina-Virginia border. The warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in that area within 36 hours.
Arthur is about 105 miles (165 kilometers) east-northeast of Cape Canaveral and about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. It is moving north about 7 mph (11 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph).
A tropical storm watch for Florida has been discontinued.
Forecasters expect Arthur to strengthen into a hurricane by Thursday and skim North Carolina’s popular, flood-prone Outer Banks on Friday.
