weather Hurricane Florence

Tropical Storm Florence is expected to strengthen over the weekend. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Little change in intensity is expected during the next day or so, but restrengthening is forecast over the weekend. Florence could become a hurricane again by Sunday.

The latest GFS has Florence approaching the coast of North Carolina sometime on Thursday of next week as a category 2 hurricane. Please note that we are a week out and everything depends on the track of the storm and its forward speed.

Here is the simulated GFS radar showing Florence as it nears the east coast of the U.S.

Predicted track as of 5 pm ET today.

Time of arrival of Wind chart

At 500 PM (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Florence was

located near latitude 24.6 North, longitude 54.7 West. Florence is

moving toward the west near 5 mph. A west-northwestward

to northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is

expected by the middle of next week. On the forecast track, the

center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday and approach

the southeastern U.S. coast on Thursday.

Data from an NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum

sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph with higher

gusts. Florence is expected to become a hurricane tonight, and

rapid intensification is likely to begin on Sunday. Florence could

become a major hurricane by Monday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km)

from the center.

Florence is expected to become a hurricane today.

As of 500 AM ET, the center of Tropical Storm Florence was located near latitude 24.5 North, longitude 55.8 West. Florence is moving toward the west near 6 mph (9 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue today. A west-northwestward motion with an increase in forwarding speed is expected by Monday, and that motion is forecast to continue through mid-week. On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday and approach the southeastern U.S. coast on Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts. Florence is expected to become a hurricane today and rapid intensification is likely to begin by tonight. Florence is forecast to become a major hurricane on Monday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 989 mb (29.21 inches).

A state of emergency has been declared in the Carolina's

South Carolina

North Carolina

Florence was in Florence last night, with the heavy downpour.

Got some family in North Carolina, I'll have to keep them posted on this one.

Thanks for the updates.

I remembered that we have members with interests in the Carolinas but couldn't remember who. That is why I'm posting updates about this. The next update should come in about an hour or so. I'll try and post before I go to church.

Florence has been upgraded to a category 1 hurricane.

...FLORENCE FORECAST TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE BY MONDAY...

At 1100 AM ET the center of Hurricane Florence was located by an NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 24.4 North, longitude 56.3 West. Florence is moving toward the west near 6 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue today. A west-northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is expected by Monday, and that motion is forecast to continue through mid-week. On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday and approach the southeastern U.S. coast on Thursday.

Aircraft data indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Florence is forecast to rapidly strengthen to a major hurricane by Monday and is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

There is an increasing risk of two life-threatening impacts from Florence: storm surge at the coast and freshwater flooding from a prolonged heavy rainfall event inland. While it is too soon to determine the exact timing, location, and magnitude of these impacts, interests at the coast and inland from South Carolina into the mid-Atlantic region should closely monitor the progress of Florence, ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, and follow any advice given by local officials.

Florence is now a category 4 hurricane. update later

Florence is now a category 4 hurricane. Update later.

...FLORENCE BECOMES A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE...

Data from an NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Florence has continued to rapidly strengthen and has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph. The latest minimum central pressure based on data from the aircraft is 946 mb.