SAVANNAH, Ga. — A hurricane watch covering nearly 200 miles along North Carolina's coast was issued early Wednesday, threatening Fourth of July plans as Tropical Storm Arthur moved northward from Florida.
Forecasts showed Arthur potentially skimming the Outer Banks, a string of narrow barrier islands prone to flooding but popular for beachgoers, on Friday as a hurricane.
With Arthur about 100 miles off Cape Canaveral, Fla., and moving north at about 6 mph, hotel owners, tourism officials and would-be vacationers all the way north to Virginia kept a watchful eye on forecasts. A tropical storm watch was in effect for parts of Florida and South Carolina.
The storm's maximum sustained winds early Wednesday were near 60 mph, and the National Hurricane Center said Arthur was expected to strengthen to a hurricane by Thursday.
Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.