Arthur, the first tropical storm of the season, could cause dangerous rip currents that threaten Fourth of July Swimmers.
It's expected to become a category 1 hurricane moving landwards off the coast of Florida, CNN reported. The eye of the storm might not hit land, but could create strong rip currents along the Outer Banks and the Pamlico Sound. The storm is expected to sweep over the Carolinas on Thursday.
North Carolina's governor has warned that Fourth of July beach goers should stay out of the water.
"I don't want you to put at risk not only yourself but also people who may try to help you, especially our emergency operation workers," said Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday, CNN reported.
Rip currents can quickly sweep swimmers out to sea, causing them to drown.
"There's no time for you to react. That's why you can't be there at all," Myers said in reference to danger areas stretching from Wilmington north to Nag's Head. "This is not a landfall-problem hurricane. This is a rip-current-problem hurricane."
Rip current speeds are usually one to two feet per second, but can reach eight feet per second, the United Lifesaving Association reported. About 100 people die from drowning in the U.S. every year as a result of rip currents and more than 80 percent of beach water rescues are a result of them.
Rip currents do not pull swimmers under water but rather away from shore; most drowning deaths related to rip currents are due to the inability to keep oneself afloat or swim back to shore.
The storm is expected to approach eastern North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, on Friday and then move northeast into the Atlantic, the Weather Channel reported. It will most likely make its closest approach to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Island either late Friday night or early Saturday morning. There is a chance that Arthur will pass over Nova Scotia.
