We're sorry... The page you are looking for cannot be found. Return to the homepage<doc-sep>North Carolina’s coastal communities began feeling the wrath of Hurricane Florence on Thursday, a storm that could be the worst to hit the region in a generation. The assault of wind and rain is expected to last through the weekend and well into next week. The storm is packing powerful winds of up to 90 miles per hour as it approaches the coast, driving a storm surge that could reach 11 feet in places. Inland residents are bracing for rainfall that is being forecast in feet, not inches, with the potential for catastrophic flash flooding. Here are the latest developments: • The center of the storm was about 30 miles east of Wilmington, N.C., at 4 a.m. Friday, with tropical-storm-force winds spreading across the Outer Banks and the southeastern coast of North Carolina. The National Hurricane Center said the storm, which has begun to slow and is now a Category 1 hurricane, was likely to maintain its intensity until its eye made landfall early Friday. • The cloud coverage from the storm, an indication of its size, is as large as the Carolinas. • The storm is forecast to crawl inland, drenching a wide area with extremely heavy rains — 20, 30 or even 40 inches of rainfall are predicted in some spots on the Carolina coast. Places as far inland as Charlotte, about 150 miles from the coast, could receive more than 10 inches of rain. Learn more about why slow-moving hurricanes are so dangerous.<doc-sep>**This weather story will be updated during the day. Check back for updates. ** More:How to sign up for FLORIDA TODAY's news and weather alerts Facebook: Follow FLORIDA TODAY on Facebook for more news, features Twitter: Follow @Florida_Today on Twitter for updates Instagram: Follow @Florida_Today for Instagram stories, more visuals Hurricane Florence Life-threatening storm surge is expected as category 4 Hurricane Florence approaches the Carolinas. Hurricane warnings were issued for parts of the North Carolina and South Carolina coastlines this afternoon. Florence was maintaining 140-mph winds at the 8 p.m. advisory. • Location: 670 miles east-southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina • Maximum sustained winds: 140 mph • Movement: west-northwest at 17 mph At 11 p.m., the center of Hurricane Florence was located 670 miles east-southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina. Florence is moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph. A west-northwestward to northwestward motion is expected during the next couple of days. Track the storm:Hurricane Florence's path and predicted track Track the storm:Tropical Storm Isaac's path and predicted track Track the storm:Hurricane Helene's path and predicted track On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas through Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina in the hurricane watch area Thursday and Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph, with higher gusts. Florence is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Florence briefly weakened and then re-strengthened today and is expected continue a slow strengthening trend for the next day or so. Florence is forecast to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through landfall. Watches/warnings A hurricane warning is in effect for: South Santee River South Carolina to Duck North Carolina Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds A storm surge warning is in effect for: South Santee River South Carolina to Duck North Carolina Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, including the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers More:Hurricane classifications: What are the 5 hurricane categories? More:2018 hurricane names — is your name on the list? Residents elsewhere in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states should monitor the progress of Florence. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm- force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. Hazards Storm surge: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water has the potential to reach the following heights above ground if peak surge occurs at the time of high tide. The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Rainfall: Florence is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 15 to 20 inches with isolated maxima to 30 inches near Florence's track over portions of North Carolina, Virginia, and northern South Carolina through Saturday. This rainfall may produce life-threatening flash flooding. Wind: Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area by late Thursday or Thursday night, with tropical storm conditions possible by Thursday morning. Surf: Swells generated by Florence are affecting Bermuda and portions of the U.S. East Coast. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Tropical Storm Isaac Tropical Storm Isaac was losing some of its organization as it moved westward toward the Lesser Antilles. • Location: 935 miles east of the Martinique • Maximum sustained winds: 65 mph • Movement: west at 16 mph At 11 p.m., Tropical Storm Isaac was moving west near 16 mph. This motion is expected to continue for the next few days. On the forecast track, Isaac is anticipated to move near or over the central Lesser Antilles on Thursday and move into the eastern Caribbean Sea on Thursday night. Isaac is expected gradually weaken as it moves toward the Lesser Antilles. Things to know about Isaac: • The government of France has issued a hurricane watch for Guadeloupe and Martinique. • The government of Barbados has issued a hurricane watch for Dominica. • The meteorological service of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a tropical storm watch for Antigua and Montserrat. Hurricane Helene Hurricane Helene continued to weaken as it turned northwest toward cooler waters in the western Atlantic. • Location: 765 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands • Maximum sustained winds:100 mph • Movement: northwest at 10 mph At 11 p.m., the eye of Hurricane Helene was moving northwest near 10 mph. This motion is expected to continue today with a turn toward the north-northwest and northward thereafter. Gradual weakening should begin tonight, and Helene is forecast to become a tropical storm on Thursday. Check back for updates. Support local journalism: Special offer for Florida residents starting at 99 cents per week. 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Hurricane-force winds now extend up to 60 miles from the center of Florence and tropical-storm-force winds now extend up to 170 miles outward from the center as the storm moves closer to land, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Florence is expected to restrengthen later today after its sustained winds have slowed a bit. The storm poses life threatening storm surge and flash flooding dangers in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Hurricane Florence remains a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale as of 2 p.m., but maximum sustained winds slowed to about 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The last Category 4 storm to hit South Carolina was Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and it killed 27 people in the state alone. Florence's track showed very little change overnight, though its slowed just a hair, according to Lauren Carroll with the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. The storm is still forecast to make landfall in southeastern North Carolina as a major hurricane before moving northwest through North Carolina and weakening to a tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane and storm surge watches for most of the Carolina coast, stretching from Edisto Beach to the Virginia Border Tuesday. With a track heading northwest through North Carolina, it's uncertain whether remnants will make it far enough inland South Carolina to impact the Upstate, Carroll said, though it could stall out relatively close to our area and cause some flooding. Tropical force wind gusts are still possible overnight Thursday and through the day Friday, according to Carroll. The storm could have a similar Upstate impact to Irma, not causing widespread damage, but creating some opportunity for fallen trees, power outages and flooding. Carroll said the track becomes more uncertain as the storm moves inland.