Florence plans to become a major hurricane; The risk for the east coast is rising: NPR

Tropical Storm Florence is expected to approach the US East Coast next week. Emergency officials have asked residents to wait for immediate threats from the swell, dangerous tear currents and coastal flooding.

National Hurricane Center and NPR

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National Hurricane Center and NPR

Tropical Storm Florence is expected to approach the US East Coast next week. Emergency officials have asked residents to wait for immediate threats from the swell, dangerous tear currents and coastal flooding.

National Hurricane Center and NPR

Tropical Storm Florence is rapidly approaching the eastern United States and, according to the National Hurricane Center, the threat of the storm on the east coast continues to increase. The storm is moving on hot water and is expected to increase its speed and become a hurricane Saturday night.

According to forecasts from the National Hurricane Center, Florence will be a major dangerous hurricane near the southeastern US coast by next week, "and the risk of direct impact continues to rise. ".

"However, given the uncertainty in the trajectory and intensity predictions at these time intervals," the National Hurricane Center tweeted, "it is too early to determine the timing, the timing of the flight. exact location and extent of these impacts ".

On Friday, North Carolina declared the state of emergency. North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Knox told NPR, "This allows our farmers to harvest their crops and get those crops out before the storm, which allows utilities to get in. Many of these things we know we need to do to l & # 39; advance. "

Knox said the people of North Carolina should begin to prepare: "When we put these orders, when we tell people, 'This is a flood-prone area' you need to find somewhere else, do not start dice. We want people to consider the warnings we make. "

South Carolina declared the state of emergency Saturday. The State Emergency Management Division said residents should start preparing their homes and belongings for the storm. Florence 's immediate threat to locals includes large waves of the ocean, dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding.

On Saturday morning, Florence was 835 miles southeast of Bermuda and had 65 mph winds. The storm is moving westward at 7 mph. Meteorologists are waiting for the tropical storm to turn into a major hurricane Tuesday night.

"Our emergency operations center will start early next week," said Knox, "knowing that a storm of this size, and potentially this impact, we as a state, must be on the ground. land and ready to help the people of North Carolina. "

According to the Washington Post, if Florence hits the east coast of the United States, she will be the first to do so for a storm at her current location.

Meanwhile, over the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Olivia approaches Hawaii with winds of up to 85 mph. On Saturday morning, the hurricane was 1,280 miles east of Honolulu. It is expected to approach the Hawaiian Islands as a tropical storm early next week, becoming the third tropical weather system to affect the islands this year.