Hurricane Florence live updates: Potential for 'catastrophic' damage

Update 8:15 p.m. EDT Sept 12: Hurricane Florence is weakening ever so slightly with wind speeds down to 115 mph, according to the latest update of the National Hurricane Center, but the storm is still a powerful Category 3 hurricane.

The NHC is predicting Florence will remain "an extremely dangerous major hurricane" when it makes landfall late Thursday or early Friday.

>> Related: Here's what to do if you're swept away by floodwaters

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 70 miles and tropical-storm-force winds extend even further at 195 miles from its center.

Update 6:10 p.m. EDT Sept 12: Once Hurricane Florence makes landfall, the storm may linger along the coast for the long haul, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center.

"This is a number of dangerous hazards. Obviously the wind, but most importantly the storm surge, which is one of the deadliest hazards of hurricanes, and the inland rainfall associated with this event "David Novak, the director of the Weather Prediction Center, said Wednesday afternoon.

"These hazards are deadly. In fact, over half of hurricane deaths are associated with water, both surge and rainfall, and that is our major concern with Hurricane Florence, "Novak said.

Tropical storm-strength winds are expected to start the Carolina coastlines beginning Thursday morning.

Southeastern North Carolina and Northeastern South Carolina could see up to 2 feet of rain when Florence comes ashore, Novak said.

>> Related: Hurricane Florence: Only 3 Category 4 hurricanes have made landfall in the Carolinas

Hurricane Floyd, which hit eastern North Carolina in 1999 and causes widespread flooding, killing 57 people and leaving behind $ 6 trillion .

Update 5 p.m. EDT Sept 12: More than 10 million people are under a hurricane warning or watch throughout the Carolinas and Georgia, according to The Associated Press.

The NHC is also predicting Florence will bring it up to 13-foot storm and it's much more than 40 inches of rain in some areas.

>> What is the Saffir-Simpson scale; how does it work; is there a Category 6?

The storm's winds have dropped to 120 mph and it's moving in a northwesterly direction at 16 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in it's latest update.

Update 4:45 p.m. EDT Sept. 12: Storm surge warnings are now posted for parts of the North and South Carolina coastal region as Hurricane Florence bares down on the eastern seaboard.

The National Hurricane Center has been warned that Florence is expected to bring "life-threatening" storm when it slams into the Carolinas over the next few days.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, Wednesday afternoon, called the storm's path "unpredictable" and urged people in the state's evacuation zones to take the storm seriously.

Thousands of people in North and South Carolina, and parts of coastal Georgia and Virginia, are evacuating the powerful hurricane churns to shore.

Update 3:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Duke Energy looking at between 1-3 million without power

Duke Energy, which serves 4 million customers in North and South Carolina, says it expects between 1 million and 3 million customers because of Hurricane Florence.

More than 20,000 power workers from Duke and from other utilities in other states are awaiting the storm's landfall.

Update 2:54 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

What will 25 inches of rain do?

Update 2:22 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Pet rumor debunked

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is debunking a rumor that emergency shelters and hotels are required by law.

FEMA points out that the Americans do not accept pets, not personal pets. FEMA offers this link on evacuating with pets.

Update 2 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Florence is now a Category 3 – still a major hurricane

Here's what we know after the 2 p.m. update from the NHC:
Florence is 435 miles southeast of Wilmington, NJ, or 470 miles east-southeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C. Sustained winds have dropped to 125. Florence is moving at 16 mph.

Florence's predicted southward turn off of North Carolina on Sunday, April 14th, 2011 at 8:15 pm – hurricane-force winds for more than 24 hours. Hurricane force winds are more than 74 mph. In Wilmington, N.C. the storm surge will be between 9 and 13 feet.

Update 1:40 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Florence from space

Update 1:05 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

An 'odd' hurricane

Weather Channel meteorologist Greg Postel told USA Today that Florence's track is not what he would expect to see from such a storm. Postel said Florence will likely "stall near the coast and then parallel southwestward to Georgia," instead of quickly heading inland.

Update 12:44 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Deal declared an emergency

Following the change in the weather forecast for Florence earlier Wednesday, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for all counties in the state.

Update 12:10 p.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Flying into the eye

Here's what it looks like when you fly into the eye of a Category 4 hurricane.

Update 12:05 pm EDT Sept. 12:

Mike Tyson's punch to the Carolina coast

The Carolinas will be receiving the full brunt of Hurricane Florence in the next 48 hours, according to Jeff Byard, Associate Administrator for Response and Recovery at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "This is not going to be a gleaning blow," he said. "This is not going to be one of those storms that hit and move out to sea. This is going to be Mike Tyson's punch to the Carolina coast. "

The National Hurricane Center is continuing to warn coastal residents of "life-threatening storm surges." A storm surge is being pushed inland from landfalling hurricanes. The NHC says some surges can be upwards of 9 feet.

Update 11:10 AM EDT Sept. 12:

What's the track now?

According to the 11 am NHC update, the current forecast track, "… the center of Florence is expected to be near the coasts of southern North Carolina and northern South Carolina in 48 to 72 hours and then drift westward to west-southwestward in weak steering flow.

Update 11 AM EDT Sept. 12:

Update on Florence from the NHC

The 11th of April from the National Hurricane Center puts Florence about 485 miles southeast of Wilmington, NC, or 520 miles east-southeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with continuing winds remaining at 130 mph. Florence is moving northwest at 15 mph. The storm has slowed down its forward motion a bit.

Update 10 a.m. EDT Sept. 12:

Presidential warning

President Donald Trump is warning Georgia residents to be on watch saying, "Florence may be just a bit south and hitting the Great State of Georgia.

Update 9:48 AM EDT Sept. 12:

Evacuating

Click here for WSOC's list of mandatory and voluntary evacuations in North Carolina.

Update 8:48 AM EDT Sept. 12:

Change in steering currents

The NHC says it's going to be more of a wind-up. As of Wednesday, the NHC is predicting a landfall in southeast North Carolina. This is a bit south of Tuesday's predicted landfall.

"Models are pointing that the steering currents will be cut when Friday is approaching the southeast U.S. coast," according to the NHC update. "The weak steering currents are expected to continue through the weekend, which makes the forecast track on days 3-5 quite uncertain."

Update 8 a.m. EDT Sept. 12:

From the NHC

According to the NHC, at 8 AM Florence was about 530 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina with winds at 130 mph. It was moving west-northwest at 17 mph.

Update 7:45 AM EDT Sept. 12:

Here's what we know early Wednesday from the NHC's 5 a.m. report:

• Florence was centered more than 500 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina, moving west-northwestward.
• Florence remains a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds
• Landfall looks to be late Thursday into Friday
• Tropical-storm-force winds should arrive at the coast as soon as Thursday morning.
• Florence is leading the world in Florida.

Here's what Florence Hurricane looks like from a satellite.

Chloe Heeden, 4, from Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in Virginia Beach, Va., As Hurricane Florence moves to the eastern shore. The National Hurricane Center is projected to be hovering off the southern coast Saturday morning or so, about a day later than expected. The track also shifted somewhat south and west, throwing Georgia into peril as Florence moves inland.
(AP Photo / Alex Brandon)