Officials in North Carolina's Outer Banks are rushing to prepare for Arthur now that the area storm warning has been raised to a hurricane watch. North Carolina emergency officials are stepping up preparations for the July 4^th holiday weekend, and there are mandatory and voluntary evacuations for certain parts of the Outer Banks. Hundreds of thousands of tourists are expected to visit the Outer Banks, which only exacerbates fears of injuries and casualties. The National Hurricane Center predicts Arthur will be a Category 1 hurricane with winds up to 85 miles per hour. It is expected to pass through the Outer Banks on Independence Day. North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory warned visitors, “This is no time to be brave and risk your safety.”