7:00 AM | **Threat for heavy rain continues right through tonight; Arthur now a hurricane**

[Latest visible satellite image of Hurricane Arthur]

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, not as hot, very humid, showers and thunderstorms likely; primarily, during the afternoon hours, some of the rain can be heavy at times, highs not far from 90 degrees

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, mild, muggy, showers and thunderstorms likely, some of the rain can be heavy at times, lows near 70 degrees

Friday

Early clouds give way to sunshine, windy and cooler, low 80’s

Friday Night

Mostly clear, pleasant, near 60

Saturday

Mostly sunny, pleasant, low 80’s

Sunday

Mostly sunny, nice, mid 80’s

Monday

Mostly sunny, quite warm, upper 80’s

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, hot, more humid, chance for showers and thunderstorms, low 90’s

Discussion

Severe thunderstorms raked much of the Mid-Atlantic region last night with thousands losing power and the atmosphere will remain very unstable through tonight. A frontal system along the east coast will combine with tropical moisture from Arthur to produce heavy downpours in the I-95 corridor right through tonight and some of the thunderstorms that form will be severe with damaging wind gusts and flooding rainfall. Arthur has intensified overnight into a category 1 hurricane and it will slam into the Outer Banks of North Carolina by early Friday - possibly as a category 2 hurricane with nearly 100 mph wind gusts. At this point in time, Arthur will accelerate to the northeast and slide a couple hundred miles east of the Mid-Atlantic coastline later in the day on Friday. Drier air will return to the I-95 corridor by later Friday - most likely in time to allow for fireworks shows to go on as scheduled tomorrow night although there will be a breeze. A refreshing air mass will follow in the Mid-Atlantic region this weekend following the departure of Arthur; Saturday and Sunday should turn out to be great weather days.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/IDiZSS30JKU