Four U.S. states have declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Florence churns toward the east coast–Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina.
S.C. Governor Henry McMaster has ordered the evacuation of coastal South Carolina residents as the storm approaches.
The storm quickly escalated from a Category 1 to a Category 4 hurricane on Monday. Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Florence has continued to rapidly strengthen and has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph.
The storm will likely make landfall Thursday—affecting more than one million people. Rainfall could reach 2 feet in some locations, officials predict.
BREAKING: Florence is now a MAJOR Category 4 hurricane
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 10, 2018
The National Hurricane Center warns category 4 storms are ‘catastrophic’: “Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls,” the hurricane center said. “Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.”
RESIDENTS IN ALL COASTAL EVACUATION ZONES IN ALL COUNTIES MUST EVACUATE BEGINNING NOON TOMORROW, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 DUE TO HURRICANE #FLORENCE #SCTWEETS #SCWX https://t.co/YEtFfgLQXe #alert
— SCEMD (@SCEMD) September 10, 2018
If Florence makes landfall as a Category 4 in North Carolina, it will be the largest storm to come strike that far north ever on record.
If the latest NHC forecast comes to pass, #Florence will be the only hurricane on record to make a Cat 4 U.S. landfall so far north. The dramatic slowing on Friday, and the implied risk of extreme rainfall, is the other very concerning detail on this map. https://t.co/tfePz2Glur pic.twitter.com/NPrkaWL6Ha
— Bob Henson (@bhensonweather) September 10, 2018
NOAA’s WP-3D Orion (#NOAA42) and Gulfstream-IV (#NOAA49) are flying missions today to survey Hurricane #Florence. Check out this video from yesterday’s P-3 flight into #Florence. Stay up to date on all hurricane activity at https://t.co/MlZk25kG0d. Video: Nick Underwood/NOAA pic.twitter.com/MZXhiJWvVh
— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 10, 2018
Earlier this morning, @Astro_Ricky Arnold shared this view, saying “Hurricane #Florence this morning as seen from @Space_Station.” Our @NASAEarth-observing satellites also continue to monitor this storm as it has developed an eye + strengthened: https://t.co/OQmhIyvaYQ pic.twitter.com/Npp0Zwb0cf
— NASA (@NASA) September 10, 2018
You can find more information from the NHC by clicking here.
