Tropical Storm Arthur Will Skirt North Carolina Coast

Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm in the Atlantic for 2020, will bring high surf, heavy rains and strong winds to the coast of North Carolina.

As of late Monday morning, Arthur was located 20 miles east-southeast of Cape Hatteras, with sustained winds of 50 mph, the National Weather Service said.

A tropical storm warning extends from Surf City, more than 200 miles north across the Outer Banks, to Duck, the weather service said. The warning includes the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

The storm, which is moving north-northeast at 16 mph, is not expected to make landfall. Arthur is forecast to turn to the northeast and pick up speed as it heads toward North Carolina, skirting the coast Monday before moving back east into the ocean late Monday night.

Tropical storm force winds will extend outward up to 125 miles from the center, "primarily over water to the east of the center," the weather service said. Officials are telling the public to be prepared as the storm is expected to strengthen in the next 48 hours.