Hurricane Florence was on track to impact the Outer Banks of North Carolina/NOAA

National seashores and other park units on the Outer Banks of North Carolina were closing Monday in advance of Hurricane Florence.

Florence, upgraded to hurricane status earlier Monday, was expected to draw close to the coastline by Thursday.

Hurricane Florence was expected to bring "significant impacts" to the North Carolina coast, the National Park Service said in a release from Cape Lookout National Seashore.

"Hurricane force winds could begin as early as Thursday morning and continue throughout the weekend," the Park Service said. "Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are possible."

Reservations for the Grand Island and Long Point cabins at Cape Lookout were canceled.

Both Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashore were to close at noon local time Monday. Also closing were Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial.

The National Hurricane Center posted an advisory Monday that said, "Swells generated by Florence are affecting Bermuda and portions of the U.S. East Coast. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."