Jul 04, 2014 12:04 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Shortly after Hurricane Arthur gained a category-2 status, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) was forced to temporarily shut down all operations.

According to USA Today, Cape Fear, N.C. was expecting 100 mph winds Thursday evening, with the dangerous weather first starting around 8 a.m. By 2 p.m., the school was forced to close after all those on campus were issued a shelter in place order an hour earlier.

"UNCW's main campus is now under a hurricane watch and UNCW's Onslow Extension site is under a hurricane warning," the school said in a campus-wide email alert.

Hurricane Arthur is altering people's Fourth of July plans all across the East Coast, especially in coastal areas in New England. Fortunately for UNCW, Independence Day weather should be clear and any classes or activities will continue as planned.

"UNCW will reopen at 6 a.m. and resume a holiday schedule on Friday, July 4. Normal work and class schedule will resume after the holiday weekend," the school announced late Thursday night. "Damage to campus is extremely limited with minor leaks, minimal limbs down and no flooding."

After passing by North Carolina, Arthur was downgraded to a category-1 hurricane, WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Va. reported. Hurricane Arthur is now moving northeast at about 23 mph with winds up to 90 mph. Arthur started out as a tropical storm and was upgraded to category-2 by Thursday.

According to a projected path from a radar on Weather.com, the brunt of the storm is expected to pass by the Conn.-N.Y. coast Friday, approaching Mass. by the evening. Coastal areas and even towns farther inland in New England should at least expect rain throughout the evening and afternoon on the Fourth of July.

According to the Associated Press, Nantucket and Cape Cod have been issued tropical storm warnings, indicating some weather experts predict Arthur to continue to lose power as it travels north. The National Hurricane Center in Miami projected Arthur to pass by New England late Friday night.

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