Hurricane Florence forces more than 1 million people to flee

Wilmington, North Carolina (CNN) — The southern East Coast of the United States is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Florence as the storm -- already packing winds of up to 140 mph -- nears Category 5 strength.
More than 1 million people face mandatory evacuation orders in coastal areas of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Tropical storm force winds are expected to reach the Carolina coasts late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. Those states are also now under hurricane and storm surge watches.

"Hurricane wind gusts will likely begin being felt Thursday early evening as the storm begins to approach landfall," he said. "Inland areas of Raleigh, the Piedmont of North Carolina (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High-Point), and Charlotte will likely see tropical storm force winds early Thursday afternoon as the hurricane continues to approach the Outer Banks along the coast."

Hurricane and storm surge watches were issued for portions of the coasts of the Carolinas Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.


The watches extend from Edisto Beach, South Carolina northward to the North Carolina-Virginia border, including the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. Those areas are at risk for hurricane conditions and "life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline" during the next 48 hours, the NHC said.

Storm is expected to strengthen

Residents of the Isle of Palms, South Carolina, fill sandbags in preparation for Hurricane Florence.
Residents of the Isle of Palms, South Carolina, fill sandbags in preparation for Hurricane Florence.
As of 5 a.m. ET Tuesday, Florence had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm is expected to pick up speed, strengthening to near Category 5 strength within the next 24 to 36 hours, the center said. It is expected to be an "extremely dangerous major hurricane" through Thursday night, the NHC said. A Category 5 storm has sustained winds of 157 mph or more.

Florence has quickly intensified since forming. The storm became a hurricane on Sunday. By Monday morning, it had grown to a Category 3 storm. About an hour after the Category 3 upgrade, it was reclassified as Category 4.

Florence has been gaining strength from the Atlantic's warm waters over the past 24 hours. It is likely to bring a number of hazards when it reaches land including dangerous storm surge and lingering rain, which could produce flash flooding, the National Hurricane Center said.

"The areas along the coast are likely to see the biggest impacts as far as damage from storm surge and wind at landfall -- then as the storm system lingers through the weekend there will be heavy rain and flooding throughout the Mid-Atlantic region with the biggest flood threat in the Carolinas," Guy said.

Track the storm and compare different forecast models

States of emergency declared in four states

One year after major storms ravaged the Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico, officials warned those in Florence's path not to underestimate the threat the storm poses.
States of emergency were declared in the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland. In Maryland, where some coastal areas are still recovering from weather, Gov. Larry Hogan said flooding could be catastrophic if it hits the state.

"We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," Hogan said.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to prepare for lengthy power outages after the hurricane arrives and learn evacuation routes they may need to take. Six more North Carolina counties were placed under mandatory evacuation Monday night, hours after the first order in Hatteras Island. Certain areas of Brunswick, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, New Hanover, and Onslow counties are affected, and more orders are expected Tuesday.

"North Carolina is taking Hurricane Florence seriously, and you should, too," Cooper said. "Action today can avoid losses due to Florence."

In South Carolina, mandatory evacuation orders take effect Tuesday at noon in eight counties along the state's 187-mile coastline. Starting then, all roads on I-26 and Route 501 will be directed away from the coast, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said.

State government offices, including schools and medical facilities, will be closed in 26 counties, McMaster said. He estimated that about 1 million people will be affected by the order, including residents and visitors.

"This is a real hurricane we have coming," McMaster said Monday. "We don't want to risk one South Carolina life."

In Virginia, mandatory evacuations begin at 8 a.m. Tuesday for about 245,000 residents in a portion of Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore area, Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday.

"Everyone in Virginia needs to prepare," he said. "This is a serious storm and it's going to affect the entire state of Virginia."

National Guard soldiers are being mobilized in the affected states. President Donald Trump declared an emergency in North Carolina, allowing it to access federal funds.


Source: www-m.cnn.com/2018/09/11/us/hurricane-florence-south-east-coast-wxc/index.html?

Florence, Isaac, Helene, & Olivia this year....wondering how they are named

US shld jst use those areas as permanent farmlands instead of yearly evacuation

i pray that the hurricanes wont lead to loss of lives.

Fear catch me when I saw S-W. Thank God it's not Nigeria, our politicians are more than enough natural disaster. Not many countries can survive them.

The lord is their muscles....


My own is that, i need the job of the person naming this hurricane..

All this Hurricane Katrina should leave my USA alone o

All thanks to God. Just wondering what will happened to Nigeria if we are facing natural disaster

....
All this hurricanes wey dey answer female names are the worst.

..
see my signature

Na wa o...this US again.
Are there no places one can live in the US without all these Hurrican Catherina, Florence, Earthquakes etc in the US?
Na wa o for this USA o.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria bad politicians keeps buying forms thereby increasing our own artificial disaster!

I’m not sure the hurricane will have much effect in Greensboro. It will definitely be felt in High point, but not sure about Greensboro.

North Carolina A&T state Uni. Will be starting their fall career fair tomorrow, if hurricane Florence will pass through Greensboro, I think there should have been an emergency alert by now.

Overseas and natural disasters are like bread and butter.

#Tufia!

If this was gonna happen in China, the Christians would be happy and begin cursing China and Ofcourse Muslims then hype their God to high heavens.

Shall we say the Christian God is powerless to avert this since USA have loads of churches and christians?


You will never have sense until the day you realised religion is bullshit.

This question may seem lame, but all the same I will ask. Can a massive bomb reduce it's effectiveness, like the one that is called the mother of all bombs.?

Iblad0994:
I’m not sure the hurricane will have much effect in Greensboro. It will definitely be felt in High point, but not sure about Greensboro.

North Carolina A&T state Uni. Will be having their fall career fair tomorrow, if hurricane Florence will pass through Greensboro, I think there should have been an emergency alert by now.

You better leave that your Greensboro now.
Safety first bro and leave permutations for US agencies them. I don talk my own o.

We are very blessed in this part of the world that we don't experience all those disaster often yet we are not prepared for its occurrence. Peace in their lands over there

Na wa ooo

God has seen us all and sees our capabilities- He knows we can't cope with these things...reason why we are where we are on d World Map...ordinary flood is giving us goose pimples in Nigeria...not to talk of major disasters like 5.5 earthquake.

But Americans and naming of these hurricanes self...hurricane Florence...

I wonder d kinda of names we will be giving hurricanes in Nigeria...hurricane Ikemefuna...hurricane Shettima...hurricane Bolaji...

ollah2:

If this was gonna happen in China, the Christians would be happy and begin cursing China and Ofcourse Muslims then hype their God to high heavens.

Shall we say the Christian God is powerless to avert this since USA have loads of churches and christians?


You will never have sense until the day you realised religion is bullshit.

your opinion though.

Iblad0994:
I’m not sure the hurricane will have much effect in Greensboro. It will definitely be felt in High point, but not sure about Greensboro.

North Carolina A&T state Uni. Will be starting their fall career fair tomorrow, if hurricane Florence will pass through Greensboro, I think there should have been an emergency alert by now.

Where are you presently? Why do you think hurricane can't hit High Point and Greensboro at the same time?

missionmex:
your opinion though.

Fact though difficult to swallow

FastShipping:


Where are you presently? Why do you think hurricane can't hit High Point and Greensboro at the same time?

It dosen’t necessarily means the effect will be felt in Greensboro. Trust me bro, i’m quite sure nothing is gonna happen here, coz there would have been emergency alerts to that effect by now.

ollah2:


Fact though difficult to swallow

how did you come to your conclusion.?

missionmex:
how did you come to your conclusion.?

Check the China thread

I dey always pity this countries that encounter natural disasters, it's hard but at least they have a working system.


Ordinary Flood for here na years e go take us recover, not to talk of hurricane khadija

the only hurricane we have here is our own Saraki and his gangster of THIEVES looting/wreaking havoc with their stealing lifestyle

ollah2:

If this was gonna happen in China, the Christians would be happy and begin cursing China and Ofcourse Muslims then hype their God to high heavens.

Shall we say the Christian God is powerless to avert this since USA have loads of churches and christians?


You will never have sense until the day you realised religion is bullshit.

Trust me, you have no sense. How does this translates to religion? Isn't it called natural disaster for a reason? I believe there's no Muslim in the US? Can we say Allah is powerless also?

I saw your post yesterday on the China thread late, I just have to move on because you are used to not making sense.

chai

gurunlocker:


Trust me, you have no sense. How does this translates to religion? Isn't it called natural disaster for a reason? I believe there's no Muslim in the US? Can we say Allah is powerless also?

I saw your post yesterday on the China thread late, I just have to move on because you are used to not making sense.

Did you quote the Christians on the China thread that they have no sense when they said the Christian God will destroy China because they burnt churches and bibles?

Also, did Muslims wish China destruction when they hit them? You always claim to be tolerant but when things don't go your way, you lay curses. You are never wrong, you want to be in every region and right home in South East, Muslims and traditionalists are your enemies who shouldnt be in the land. Heck, they even destroy shrines and christians are happy with that.

I can't make sense to deluded, brainwashed bigots like you who see things only from their angle.