Hurricane Arthur howled through North Carolina's Outer Banks overnight with winds of up to 100 mph, causing flooding and knocking out power to residents and vacationers. There have been no reported deaths.
Arthur strengthened to a Category 2 storm as it made landfall at 11:15 p.m. near Cape Lookout, N.C. It is the earliest hurricane to hit North Carolina in a season since 1851, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm caused flooding along Highway 12, the main road that leads on and off the Outer banks. The road is battered during big storms.
After passing over North Carolina Friday, the storm began moving offshore, heading northeast. It is expected to pass southeast of Cape Code this evening, according to the Hurricane Center. Its center as of 7 a.m. was about 100 miles east of Norfolk, Va.
The East Coast, meanwhile, is bracing for rain as the storm weakens as it heads north. Fourth of July events have been adjusted given the wet forecast. The annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular was held Thursday night, while The Associated Press reports that fireworks displays in New Jersey and Maine were postponed until later in the weekend.
The latest advisory from the Hurricane Center reports a hurricane warning is in effect from the Okrakoke Inlet in North Carolina to the North Carolina/Virginia border, as well as Eastern Albermarle Sound. Tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect for parts of Virginia and Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and Woods Hole, as well as Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The storm is expected to head to Canada early Saturday.
You can find the latest from the National Hurricane Center here.
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