Florence is now a Hurricane

As of the 11 a.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Florence has upgraded to hurricane status with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. Forecasters predict that Hurricane Florence is forecast to strengthen to a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher, by Monday. The storm is continuing to move west at 6 miles per hour, however is expected to increase in forward motion tomorrow.Athough the current track shows the storm making landfall in North Carolina, 

The "cone of uncertainty" reaches from Hilton Head Island to Washington DC so don't assume Wilmington NC is the only target. Remember this may change.

Residents and guests should continue to plan for impacts and remain vigilant as Hurricane Florence moves closer. The National Hurricane Center releases new tropical cyclone advisories at 5:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. each day at www.nhc.noaa.gov

BULLETIN Hurricane Florence Advisory Number  41 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL062018 1100 AM AST Sun Sep 09 2018

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

SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------- LOCATION...24.4N 56.3W ABOUT 750 MI...1210 KM SE OF BERMUDA ABOUT 610 MI...985 KM NE OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 6 MPH...9 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...984 MB...29.06 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK ---------------------- At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Florence was located by a NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 24.4 North, longitude 56.3 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 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 (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km).

The latest minimum central pressure reported by a NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft is 984 mb (29.06 inches).


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