World News Hurricane Florence deluges Carolinas ahead of landfall
WILMINGTON, N.C., (Reuters) - Heavy rain, gusting winds and rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence deluged the Carolinas yesterday as the massive, slow-moving storm crept toward the coastline, threatening millions of people in its path with record rainfall and punishing surf.
Florence, downgraded to a Category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale and moving west at only 5 miles per hour (8 kph), remained huge, unpredictable and potentially deadly ahead of its forecast landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina, at mid-day on Friday.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference that the “historic” hurricane would unleash rains and floods that would inundate almost the entire state in several feet of water.
The sheer size of the storm meant it could batter the U.S. East Coast with hurricane-force winds for nearly a full day, according to weather forecasters.
North Carolina will see the equivalent of up to eight months of rain in a two- to three-day period, National Weather Service forecaster Brandon Locklear said in a video briefing.
North Carolinians made lastminute preparations and hunkered down to await Florence’s arrival. In downtown Wilmington, a few hearty locals gathered at Cape Fear Wine and Beer pub.
“We lost power at home so we figured we should come to the bar,” said Carla Mahaffee, a 33-year-old actor from Wilmington, as she drank a cider. “We’ve prepared all our supplies at home and frankly, we were bored.”
Holly Waters, a retired special education teacher from Wilmington, said she was happy to have a place to go to relax before the storm worsened.
“It’s not the middle of a hurricane yet, so why not come for a beer?” said Waters, 54.
Elsewhere in Wilmington, Linda Smith, a 67-year-old retired nonprofit director, was concerned as she watched wind gusts stir up frothy white caps on the Cape Fear River.
“We’re a little worried about the storm surge so we came down to see what the river is doing now,” Smith said. “I am frightened about what’s coming. We just want prayers from everyone.”