NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center
1 hr ·
...FLORENCE GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED AND INCREASING IN SIZE...
...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COASTS OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA...INLAND FLOODING TO FOLLOW...
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to the North Carolina-Virginia state line, and for Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, including the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers. A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Edisto Beach, South Carolina, to the North Carolina-Virginia state line, including Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. Interests elsewhere in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states
should monitor the progress of Florence. Additional watches may be required later today.
Hurricane Florence is centered at 2 p.m. EDT about 845 miles (1360 km) east-southeast of Cape Fear, N. Carolina. Florence is moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph (28 km/h). A west- northwestward to northwestward motion with a slight increase in forward speed are expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas through Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina in the hurricane watch area Thursday and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts. Florence is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Florence is expected to begin re- strengthening later today and continue a slow strengthening trend for the next day or so. While some weakening is expected on Thursday, Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through landfall. Hurricane-force winds have expanded outward and now extend up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center. Tropical-storm-force winds have also expanded and now extend outward up to 170 miles (280 km) from the
center.
The next advisory will be issued by NHC at 5 p.m. AST -
www.hurricanes.gov