Hurricane Florence Turns South: What It Means For NC

CHARLOTTE, NC — Hurricane Florence’s trajectory shifted south Wednesday, upping the stakes for the Charlotte metro region as national weather officials urge residents in the Mid-Atlantic region to complete their preparations.

The shift in the storm’s projection means Charlotte would be right of the center of the storm, where wind and rain are the most damaging, the Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday.

“With conditions expected to begin to deteriorate Wednesday night, preparations should be completed by that time,” North Carolina Emergency Management said Tuesday evening.

At 5 pm. Wednesday, Hurricane Florence was about 385 miles southeast of Wilmington, N.C., and 420 miles east-southeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with sustained winds of 120 mph and moving at about 16 mph, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory.

By the time Florence strikes land, it is projected to be the “most intense storm to strike the region” since Hurricane Hugo in September 1999, the Washington Post said.

Life-threatening storm surge is “now highly likely” along both the North Carolina and South Carolina coasts, according to the National Hurricane Center. Storm surge warnings, which means there’s danger of life-threatening rising water during the next 36 hours, are in effect from South Santee River, S.C. to Duck, N.C. Hurricane warnings are in effect for the same locations, as well as the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.

“Life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding and significant river flooding is likely over portions of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic states from late this week into early next week, as Florence is expected to slow down as it approaches the coast and moves inland,” NHC said Wednesday.

The main threats of this storm will be hurricane force winds, storm surge and inland flooding, forecasters say.
“Total rainfall accumulations of over 15 to 25 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 35 inches are expected over the next 7 days across portions of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic States,” National Weather Service Eastern Region said Tuesday evening.

What This Means For Charlotte

By late Thursday, the storm’s winds will begin to slow down, and it will begin to slowly churn through the region into early Saturday. That means inland areas of South Carolina to the western end of North Carolina — including Charlotte — could see up to 10 inches of rain, with isolated areas receiving up to 20, according to NHC.

The coast of North Carolina is now projected to see up to 30 inches of rain, and western and northern North Carolina up to 10 inches, NHC said.

The storm’s shift has means the Charlotte-area will likely see wind speeds between 39 mph and 73 mph, the Charlotte Observer reported. The highest winds are most likely in the metro area by sunrise on Friday, the newspaper said.

"This storm is a monster," Cooper told reporters at a news conference Sept. 11. "It's big and it's vicious. It is an extremely dangerous, life threatening, historic hurricane."

Cooper urged residents to take the storm seriously, saying the storm would not blow over "in a matter of hours," and said that residents needed to have supplies on hand to last for several days.

How To Get Ready

According to North Carolina Emergency Management, state residents should do the following to get ready before a hurricane:

• Build an emergency kit.
• Make a family communications plan.
• Know your the routes you need to leave your home (evacuation routes). Locate your local emergency shelters.
• Closely watch/listen to the weather reports. Listening every hour as the storm nears.
• Put fuel in all vehicles and withdraw some cash from the bank. Gas stations and ATMs may be closed after a hurricane.
• If authorities ask you to leave, do so quickly.
• If you leave (evacuate), be alert to flooded or washed-out roads. Just a few inches of water can float a car.
• Keep a photo I.D. that shows your home address. You will need it when asking police if it is okay for you to re-enter your area or home.
• Secure your property.
  • Bring inside all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
  • Cover windows with permanent storm shutters or board up windows with 5/8-inch plywood, cut and ready to install. Tape does not stop windows from breaking.
  • Put in straps or extra clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will lower roof damage.
  • Trim trees and shrubs around your home, so they are more wind resistant.
  • Clear clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
  • Reinforce garage doors. If wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.

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Main Image: National Hurricane Center