Hurricane Florence Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Expected to Gain Strength

"You do not want to cancel schools too early," Mr. Elliot said. "One is what do you do about child care. On the other side, you need to be able to make plans and evacuate, if that's what they need to do. And if you cancel too broadly and too early and then the forecast is wrong, you get the 'cry wolf' syndrome, they are going to be the next time. "

Double threat, supercharged by climate change

Hurricane Florence presents a double threat to the region, said J. Marshall Shepherd, a meteorologist and professor of geography at the University of Georgia.

First, the coast faces high winds and storm surge from a powerful direct hit. But inland farther, he added, the probability of severe flooding is high as long as it is expensive. "The models are suggestive of something similar to what we saw with Harvey," Dr. Shepherd said, referring to last year's catastrophic flooding in Houston and elsewhere.

"This is another example of a one-two-punch storm," he said. And it is possible for them to prepare for coastal damage, they may underestimate the flooding threat.

"People have a hard time internalizing, preparing for something that's outside their realm of experience," he said. But Florence could bring conditions that people have not seen in their lifetimes. "It's a situation that I believe is setting up," he said.

Dr. Shepherd noted, Dr. Shepherd noted. "When we have a storm like Florence, it's certainly going to be shoving higher levels on the coastline," he said.

Although he said that he was wary of linking individual storms to climate change, he added that the scientific research is more likely to be in favor of climate change. flooding.

Other scientific research suggests that Florence is part of the trend of storms affected by climate change. A 2014 study in the newspaper Nature shows a "poleward migration" of intense storms, and further research links to a "wavier" jet stream, which could contribute to weakened steering currents, a phenomenon that kept Hurricane Harvey over Houston and could stall Florence over the Carolinas, as well.

Schools and government offices closing

Schools are scheduled to close in Swaths of North and South Carolina, with many of them set to serve as shelters for people fleeing the hurricane.

In South Carolina, Governor McMaster issued an executive order Monday closing all state offices and public schools, including state colleges, universities and technical colleges, in 26 counties threatened by Hurricane Florence. The closings would affect more than 430,000 students in kindergarten through high school, said Ryan Brown, a spokesman for the state education department.

Schools on higher ground that have been designated as shelters and served by the American Red Cross and other relief workers, he said.

Although South Carolina schools are dealing with hurricanes, this one is expected to be the most challenging in a long time, Mr. Brown said. "This is the strongest hurricane we've had since Hugo Hurricane in 1989. That was a direct hit to Charleston, Category 4."

In North Carolina, schools in 17 eastern counties were expected to close, said Graham H. Wilson, a spokesman for the state's department of public instruction. Most of those were set to begin Tuesday, but some were scheduled for Wednesday, and the timing of others was still to be announced.

"We do anticipate more closings," Mr. Wilson said.

Puerto Rico nervously watches Tropical Storm Isaac

The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning that Isaac, now has a tropical storm heading west towards the Lesser Antilles Islands, could be "at or near hurricane levels" on Thursday and on a mighty path to Puerto Rico on the weekend.

Just a word of a hurricane some 175 miles south Puerto Ricans rushing to the store to stock up on water and supplies.

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Puerto Rico is Hurricane Maria, which crossed the Lesser Antilles before pummeling the island, knocking out power, damaging more than 300,000 homes and claiming some 3,000 lives over the next five months.

"The store was exploding – exploding," said Josefina García, a 64-year-old retiree who lives in Ciales. "The news said to prepare, so we're preparing. I bought batteries and water, water, water. "

Ms. Garcia said she was nervous, because she has suffered a lot of damage. She plans to stay in her apartment recently.

Hurricane Maria, the agency with 14 million liters of water and 4 million meals.

But Vanessa Quiñones, a mapping analyst in Puerto Rico, said, "There are some 80,000 tarps still covering unrepaired homes on the island.

"Everyone is aware that they are more likely to be less able to work and are more likely to be reactive," she said. "We look like rabbits with their ears straight up."

She said people were also concerned about Hurricane Florence.

"Remember, the United States," she said. "The topic of the weekend: hurricanes."

Shelves emptied; homes, pets and iconic cows

People in the Carolinas shared photos on social media of long lines and empty shelves as they shopped for groceries, propane and other storm supplies.

At some other locations, stores received welcome deliveries and restocked in advance of the storm.

Animals – of all sorts – are moved from Florence's path for safekeeping.

Important questions were asked ahead of the storm, including: Got Pop-Tarts?

How do you prepare to evacuate your home?

When a hurricane is poised to make landfall and the authorities issue an evacuation order, you can fall back to your home from the storm – and from flooding.

Here's what you can do to get ready.

• Make a family plan. Pack an emergency kit, including cash, medicines and three days' worth of food and water (for people and pets)

• Take documents and protect valuables. Photograph or scan important documents like driver's licenses, social security cards, passports, prescriptions, tax statements and other legal papers

• Bottle water and freeze food. The Food and Drug Administration recommends cooling and freezing to the coldest possible places and moving fridge items to the freezer so they stay cold if the power goes out.

• Take stock of household chemicals. Look for any dangerous substances, like bleach, ammonia and drain cleaners.

• Think about power. Move electronics, small appliances, portable heating systems and other things with wires to upper levels and high shelves – as far as possible.

• Clear the yard and secure windows. Trim and safely dispose of tree branches, which can fall during hurricane winds or become projectiles if left on the ground.

Read more safety tips for after the storm hits.

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