(RALEIGH) -- Hurricane Katia has weakened to a category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean. The even better news, according to North Carolina News Network Meteorologist Mike Moss, is the storm should not pose a direct threat to North Carolina.

"We're getting more confidence at this point that it's going to turn toward the north as it reaches about 70 degrees or so west longitude and move up between Bermuda and the United States and then curve back out toward the open North Atlantic.  That should leave the United States free and clear," said Moss.

Moss added that the storm is large and powerful and will likely stir up the surf along the North Carolina coast. "We may end up with some large swells along the coast in the next two or three days, but that's about it."