Hurricane Florence: Fredericksburg Declares State Of Emergency

FREDERICKSBURG, VA—City manager Tim Baroody has declared a state of emergency for Fredericksburg ahead of Hurricane Florence, the Category 4 storm that's expected to make landfall Thursday or Friday in North Carolina. High winds and flooding are expected in the Fredericksburg area during both the storm and its aftermath, posing a danger to life and property.

By declaring a state of emergency, according to the city, Fredericksburg will be able to access state and federal assistance in dealing with the storm and any storm-related damage. It also "enables use of emergency authority to protect lives and property."

SEE ALSO: Hurricane Update: Florence Prompts Mandatory Evacuation In VA

City officials say they're particularly concerned about the possibility of flooding in downtown and other low-lying areas if the Rappahannock River shed receives anticipated heavy rainfall. Portions of downtown Fredericksburg are prone to flooding and residents and businesses in those areas should take action now to secure their buildings and property.

With ground already saturated from an unusually rainy year, the Rappahannock is very likely to flood with this weather event. It is important to communicate with family and to develop evacuation or sheltering plans. In Fairfax County and elsewhere in the DC region, already swelling creeks and streams from heavy rain the past several days have set the stage for additional flooding.

(Stay on top of all the latest Hurricane Florence news with our free, real-time news alerts, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

The center of the hurricane will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday, and approach North Carolina on Thursday. Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered in coastal parts of Virginia and the Carolinas.

Image: Current cone of the probable path of the storm center as of Sept. 11, via National Hurricane Center