If that image is not enough, here's another striking one from closer to the ground of a rainband in Arthur. This photo was taken by a NOAA aircraft and posted to Twitter (used with permission from the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center).

As for the latest information on the storm, the National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warnings associated with Arthur, which remains off the coast of Florida but is now moving north.

"The data indicate that Arthur remains with an initial intensity of 50 knots, the NHC says in its 2 p.m. update. "These strong winds are currently confined to the eastern semicircle. Although the cloud pattern on satellite is somewhat ragged, the radar presentation is fair with numerous rainbands."

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the North Carolina coast from Little River Inlet to the North Carolina/Virginia border, eastern Albermarle Sound and Pamlico Sound.

A hurricane watch is in effect for Bogue Inlet to Oregon Inlet, North Carolina and Pamlico Sound. A tropical storm watch covers south of Little River Inlet to South Santee River, South Carolina.

The NHC further says interests along the east coast in southeastern New England should monitor the progress of the storm.

As noted by the Miami Herald, the tropical storm watch for Florida has been called off.

Arthur is enduring effects from dry air, causing a lopsided structure that the NHC says “suggests that Arthur will not strengthen quickly in the short term,” but given “an otherwise favorable environment of warm water and weak wind shear, all of the intensity guidance shows the cyclone becoming a hurricane in about 36 hours, and so does the official forecast.”

The current track shows Arthur forming into a hurricane sometime on Thursday before either striking the North Carolina coast or tracking just east of the coast (see forecast image below).

Credit: NOAA

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency “due to the approach of Tropical Storm Arthur.” The declaration covers the counties of Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Tyrrell and Washington.