WRF Model was the 1st one to say it would be a Cat 1 days ago. And there it is... Hurricane force winds extend out 25 miles from center. Tropical Storm force 90 miles from Center. 985mb pressure.
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL012014
500 AM EDT THU JUL 03 2014
...ARTHUR NOW A HURRICANE...
...EXPECTED TO MOVE NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER BANKS TONIGHT...
SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
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LOCATION...31.3N 79.1W
ABOUT 340 MI...545 KM SW OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 190 MI...305 KM SSW OF CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 10 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...985 MB...29.09 INCHES
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
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AT 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE ARTHUR WAS
LOCATED BY HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT AND NOAA DOPPLER RADARS NEAR
LATITUDE 31.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.1 WEST. ARTHUR IS MOVING TOWARD
THE NORTH NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/H. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST WITH AN
INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED TODAY...FOLLOWED BY A FURTHER
INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. ON THE FORECAST
TRACK...THE CORE OF ARTHUR IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE COAST IN THE
HURRICANE WARNING AREA TONIGHT.
DATA FROM NOAA AND AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 75
MPH...120 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING
IS FORECAST IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90
MILES...150 KM.
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE NOAA HURRICANE
HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 985 MB...29.09 INCHES.