Latest: Tropical Storm Arthur Churning North

A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch have been issued for the North Carolina coastline as Tropical Storm Arthur is expected to gain strength this week, heading past the Georgia coastline.

As of late Wednesday morning, Arthur was east of Cape Canaveral, Fla., according to The Weather Channel.

Arthur will likely accelerate to the north and northeast over the next couple days, according to the National Weather Service, intensifying to hurricane strength late Thursday or early Friday.

At it's worst, Arthur's maximum winds are expected to reach 85 mph by mid-day Friday, according to the NWS.

A tropical storm warning was issued because the track of the storm would limit damaging winds, but the NWS notes that any deviation from the projected track may lead to hurricane warnings for the entire North Carolina coast.

The 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook in May indicated a near-normal or below-normal hurricane season, with 8-13 named storms and up to 6 hurricanes. The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, peaking from August to mid-October.

Also see:

• As Tropical Storm Arthur Moves North, Check Out These Hurricane Preparedness Tips
• These Hurricanes Were So Bad, Their Names Were Retired