Just when we thought things could not get any worse, the first name storm of the Atlantic hurricane season has formed off the coast of Florida, and it seems like it’s going to be a bad one.
Fox News reported that warnings have been issued to North Carolina’s Outer Banks after the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Tropical Storm Arthur has a maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as of 11 a.m. Sunday. The NHC added that the hurricane is currently located 345 miles south-southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and that it is moving north-northeast at 9 mph.
“This is a storm that’s formed last night just off the east coast of Florida,” said Fox News chief meteorologist Rick Reichmuth on “Fox & Friends Weekend.” “Not real concerned about the impacts from this storm, although you look at the track it’s going to get really close to the Outer Banks.”
Tropical storm warning in effect for #Arthur which will pass near the coast on Monday. STRONG RIP CURRENTS are expected TODAY and MONDAY. Please use caution if at the beaches and SHARE this information. For details please see our latest briefing at https://t.co/CAZ6pXICRr pic.twitter.com/gfG51pEyhk
— NWS Newport/Morehead (@NWSMoreheadCity) May 17, 2020
Experts say that the storm is going to likely increase in speed over the next two days as it gets closer to the northeast.
“On the forecast track, Arthur will remain well offshore the east coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina today, and then move near or just east of the coast of North Carolina on Monday,” the NHC added.
Reichmuth went on to explain that Tropical Storm Arthur may have sustained winds up to 50 mph by the time it nears the Outer Banks.
“The worst of it should remain offshore, it’s just the Outer Banks that’s going to be a rough day, especially on say Monday into Tuesday,” he said.
Swells caused by the tropical storm are already impacting parts of Florida and the east coast. It is expected that there will be a total rain accumulation of between 1 and 3 inches over coastal North Carolina from Sunday to Monday.
“These swells are expected to spread northward during the next few days, and could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions across much of the U.S. southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts,” the NHC warned.
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