Forecasters: Storm Arthur Could Become Hurricane

Tropical Storm Arthur is making its way north along the East Coast, threatening Fourth of July plans for the weekend.

Arthur is centered about 90 miles east of Cape Canaveral, Florida.

A hurricane watch has been issued in parts of North Carolina and a tropical storm watch is in effect for South Carolina and Florida.

Still, Arthur is not scaring off tourists, even though red flags are flying along beaches and lifeguards are warning swimmers of the dangerous rip currents.

"If you are not a strong swimmer when we're flying red flags, we ask you stay out of the water or go very shallow," Jeremy Robshaw, who works at St. Johns County Beaches, said. "If you have children, keep the children in shallow water, keep them with you."

"The waves are pretty high today, so we're going to keep a close eye on them," Kathy Akins, a tourist traveling with her granddaughter for a birthday weekend, said. "It's a beautiful day! Nice breeze. Clear skies. You'd never know there was a tropical system out there."

The storm's maximum sustained winds early Wednesday are near 60 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported Arthur could become a hurricane by Thursday.