Warning issued for US coast as Hurricane Florence strengthens

September 11, 2018 | by Rodolfo Vieira

Hurricane Florence is expected to become even more dangerous in the following days and residents have already been warned to brace themselves.

From Florida to Virginia, people are being told that the worst might happen, which is they should prepare themselves for the worst starting Monday, September 10, 2018.

According to the National Hurricane Center, there is an increased risk of life-threatening impacts from Florence but it is still too soon to determine the 'exact timing, location and magnitude of these impacts.

On Sunday morning, Florence crossed the 75 mph threshold from tropical storm to hurricane, and its winds picked up by evening, reaching speeds of 85 mph. Follow us on our Twitter account @amomama_usa to learn more.

Here are the 5 AM EDT Key Messages for Hurricane #Florence. Latest information available at https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/DpgFeN7OIZ
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 10, 2018

This means that Florence is now officially a category 2 hurricane and that it will eventually grow stronger until it becomes a major hurricane as it continues to head west.

The HWRF predicts sustained winds up to 150 mph as Florence approaches the Carolina coast. That is a strong category 4 hurricane , just shy of category 5 status. It's been a long time since North Carolina has seen a direct inland hit like this (not a glancing Outer Banks hit). pic.twitter.com/5zzz2KPexJ
— Chris Sowers (@chris_sowers) September 10, 2018

HOW IS IT GETTING STRONGER

Experts believe that Florence is drawing energy from the warm water, and it could turn into a scary category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph or higher by Tuesday.

So far, the hurricane has forced some ships heading to the Caribbean, such as the Norwegian Dawn, to change their routes. The cruise ship made its way to Canada on Sunday, with a stop on Nova Scotia.

26 Category-4 and 3 Category-5 hurricanes have made landfall on the continental United States since 1851. The northernmost was Hazel (1954) on the SC/NC border. #Florence has a shot at breaking that notorious record. pic.twitter.com/0CJHqnxwKW
— Brian McNoldy (@BMcNoldy) September 9, 2018

ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS

During an interview with a couple of reporters, Henry McMaster, the South Carolina Governor, advised residents to 'presume that a major hurricane is going to hit right smack dab in the middle' of the state.

Aside from McMaster, North Carolina's Roy Cooper and Virginia's Ralph Northam also declared states of emergency. Rick Scott, from Florida, cautioned residents even though the state hasn't received any weather-related warnings.

.@Ginger_Zee and @RobMarciano are tracking the latest on Hurricane Florence: https://t.co/KzNwMlsL5v pic.twitter.com/THVH2HHMFl
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 10, 2018

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared a few steps on how to prepare for Hurricane season, which will definitely come in handy.