Atlantic Hurricane Florence is currently a Category 4 and is heading direct for North and South Carolina. It is expected to start some time on Thursday – September 13, 2018 – and go through the weekend. It is possible that is can increase to a Category 5 hurricane as it approaches.
AccuWeather meteorologists think that the hurricane will stall near the Carolina coast. If this happens, the coastal regions can expect heavy rains, severe flooding, and heavy erosion to occur over a period of a couple days.
Help may not be available for several days due to the dangerous conditions. The areas that could be hardest hit are eastern North Carolina and the northern part of South Carolina. A storm surge in excess of 10 feet is expected in some areas.
The exact track, overall size and forward speed of the storm will determine which locations along the coast receive the worst of Hurricane Florence’s damaging winds, heavy rain, and storm surge flooding. “If Florence fails to move inland right away, it could remain as a hurricane or major hurricane much longer than usual, due to proximity to warm ocean water,” Kottlowski said. A very slow or meandering movement of Hurricane Florence means long-duration high winds, storm surge, and wave action.
It is advised to leave the region prior to Thursday morning. Once the hurricane hits, the situation will become near impossible to leave.