Tropical Storm Arthur sets sights on N. Carolina coast
The start of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is two weeks away, but that hasn’t kept an early-bird system from menacing the North Carolina coast.
Tropical Storm Arthur, which formed off Florida on Saturday, was expected to strengthen and whip the Outer Banks with rain and gusty winds overnight into Monday, the National Weather Service said. Eastern portions of the state should brace for localized flooding and hazardous marine conditions, forecasters said.
A tropical storm warning – meaning 40 mph or greater winds were expected somewhere in the warning area within the next 24 to 36 hours – was issued for portions of the Outer Banks from Surf City to Duck, including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“Minor inundation from storm surge is possible for very low-lying areas adjacent to the ocean, sounds, and rivers, with overwash of dunes and flooding of properties and roadways possible for locations where dune structures are weak,” mainly north of Cape Lookout, the National Weather Service said.
Arthur was centered about 300 miles south-southwest of Cape Hatteras and was moving at 9 mph to the northnortheast Sunday morning, the hurricane center said.
“There is a still the possibility that Arthur makes landfall where the barrier islands jut out near Cape Hatteras,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
Arthur’s preseason appearance isn’t that unusual, making 2020 the sixth consecutive year with a named storm in May – which is before the season’s official start date of June 1.
Arthur was expected to intensify as it moved away from the East Coast early this week. The National Hurricane Center said the storm would transition into a non-tropical low pressure system.