July 3, 2014 – Information provided by The Town of Surf City
The first heavy rain has just begun. Tropical Storm Arthur has become a hurricane with 80 mph winds and is now beginning to make its turn toward the northeast. Satellite and radar both depict a better-defined storm and reconnaissance aircraft shows eye pressures are in a steady fall which indicates that strengthening is continuing. The center of the storm is currently located off the east coast of Florida about 105 miles southeast of Charleston and about 300 miles southwest of Cape Hatteras. The forecast scenario discussed in updates over the last 24 hours has changed very little, as steering currents for Hurricane Arthur are very well defined. Given the significant fall in central pressure this morning and the favorable environment for strengthening, Arthur could easily become a category 2 hurricane by the time it reaches the vicinity of the Outer Banks of North Carolina early Friday morning. This expected motion will cause the storm to parallel the South Carolina coast on today and then the North Carolina coast tonight.