ANNOUNCER: THIS IS A HURRICANE FLORENCE UPDATE.
[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
VISIT NCICAP.ORG] [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY WXII-TV] KENNY: HURRICANE FLORENCE IS CREEPING CLOSER THE EYE CHURNING JUST OFF SHORE.
BRINGING HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WIND TO THE COAST.
HERE’S A LOOK AT SURF CITY THE CAMERA HAS SINCE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN.
TALITHA: WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT FROM WILMINGTON TO NAG’S HEAD AND THE TRIAD.
LET’S GET RIGHT TO CHIEF METEOROLOGIST LANIE POPE WITH THE LATEST ON WHEN THE WORST OF THE STORM WILL HIT.
LANIE: I HAVE JUST BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THE STATEMENT.
WE HAVE 90 MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS.
IT IS STILL MOVING VERY SLOWLY NORTHWEST AT 6:00.
-- AT SIX MILES PER HOUR.
THAT IS FASTER THAN THE FIVE MILES PER HOUR WE HAD AN HOUR AGO.
THE EYE IS CLOSE TO LAND.
IT IS 50 MILES AWAY RIGHT NOW.
THE STORM IS 500 MILES ACROSS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND 195 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
YOU CAN SEE THE RAIN BANDS ARE ON SHORT.
-- SHORE.
THEY HAVE BEEN LASHING OUT THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS.
HATTERAS HAS BEEN REPORTING GUSTS CLOSER TO 100 MILES PER HOUR.
ABOUT 67 IN HATTERAS.
THESE ARE THE HIGHEST WIND GUSTS WE HAVE HAD REPORTED.
FORT MACON JUS SAYING -- JUST OUT ON THE END THEREOF THE CRYSTAL COAST AT 105.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE CLOUDS BEING PUSHED EVEN INTO OUR AREA.
LOOKING AT THE RAIN BANDS, AND IT HAS REALLY BEEN COMING DOWN FROM ATLANTIC REACHED EMERALD ISLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WILMINGTON, TO OAK ISLAND AS WELL.
HAVE EASILY SEEN TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF RAIN ALREADY FROM THIS STORM SYSTEM.
IT IS A CATEGORY 1.
REPUTATION TO THE NUMBER.
IT IS NOT THE NUMBER -- DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE NUMBER.
IT IS NOT THE NUMBER THAT DOES THE DAMAGE.
THE WINDS ARE DOWN, BUT THE WIND FIELD IS WIDE.
THE TRACK HAS NOT CHANGED.
STILL LOOKING AT LANDFALL BY EARLY AFTERNOON TOMORROW.
WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH SOUTH CAROLINA.
ONE THING I DID NOTICE IS THAT THE TURN IS A BIT SHARPER AND FASTER, WHICH COULD WORK IN OUR FAVOR IN THE MOUNTAINS AS FAR AS RAINFALL GOES.
WE HAVE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR OUR AREA.
IT DOES INCLUDE THE TRIAD.
WE MAY SEE FLASH FLOOD WATCHES FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS.
WE ARE FORECASTING FIVE TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS THE PIEDMONT TRIAD AND MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS ON AVERAGE.
LET’S CHECK WITH MICHELLE FOR MORE ON THAT.
MICHELLE: WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET CONFIRMATION WITH THE STORM SURGES LOOKING LIKE ALONG THE COAST.
WE ARE TRYING TO EXPECT -- WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE 10 FOOT STORM SURGE.
THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY FOLKS NEAR THE CHERRY RANCH VER TERMINAL -- FERRY TERMINAL.
THAT IS CLOSER TO THE SOUND SIDE.
INLAND THERE SEEN 10 FOOT STORM SURGE.
WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT RAINFALL TOTALS.
HI TOTALS FOR THE TRIAD.
ANYWHERE IN GREENSBORO, SEVEN INCHES TO 5.5 GOING UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS.
THAT IS JUST ONE FORECAST MODEL.
YOUR FLOODING LOCAL IMPACT BEGINNING AS EARLY AS SATURDAY MORNING, IF NOT BEFORE.
ALL OF THIS IS TRACKED DEPENDENT, BUT LOOKING LIKE FLOOD WATCHES MAY BE EXTENDED WEST.
LANIE: WE ARE GOING TO SEE TROPICAL SHOWERS MOVING IN TOMORROW.
PERHAPS A STORM AS WELL.
ON SATURDAY, HEAVIER TROPICAL SHOWERS PUSH INTO OUR REGION.
THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT IS SUNDAY AND POTENTIALLY INTO MONDAY.
WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS COMING UP.
KENNY: LET’S BEGIN WITH OUR TEAMS IN THE FIELD.
WE WILL START THIS HOUR DOWN IN WILMINGTON.
THE WIND IS ALREADY ACTIVE TONIGHT.
TALITH LET’S GO TO BRIANA CONNER LIVE.
HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING ON YOUR END?
REPORTER: WE’VE GOT RAIN, WE’VE GOT WIND, THUNDER AND LIGHTNING, NONSTOP OUT HERE.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SA THEY ARE RECORDING SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 MILES PER HOUR HERE IN WILMINGTON.
GUSTS OVER 60 MILES PER. HOUR THE RAIN IS THE SECONDARY STORY.
WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER HALF AN INCH SO FAR THEY DO NOT EXPECT THIS STORM TO MOVE AWAY FROM WILMINGTON.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A FRAME OF REFERENCE.
DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON IS TO MY LEFT.
TO MY RIGHT, THIS IS THE CAPE FEAR RIVER.
THESE EARLY BANDS ARE WHIPPING THIS BODY OF WATER AROUND.
THIS IS NOT EXPECTED TO CREST UNTIL NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY AT 25 FEET.
MAJOR INLAND FLOODING ISSUES.
THIS BARGE IS ACTUALLY A RESTAURANT.
THE OWNER HAS BEEN OUT HERE MULTIPLE TIMES CHECKING ON HIS BUSINESS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TIED DOWN.
IF THIS THING BREAKS LOOSE IT IS GONE.
HE SAYS HE IS WORRIED ABOUT THE WATER LEVEL AND WORRIED IN THESE WINDS GET TOO HIGH, THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM.
HE IS JUST HOPING FOR THE BEST.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> WE TOOK DOWN ALL OF OUR TV, AUDIO, ALL OF THE AWNINGS IN THERE.
THAT’S PRETTY MUCH IT.
IT’S A PRETTY SAFE, SOLID STRUCTURE ON THE WATER.
IT’S BUILT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
THE BIG CONCERN WOULD BE IF IT EVER GOT LOOSE OBVIOUSLY BRIANA AT THIS POINT IN WILMINGTON WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER.
I CAN REPORT THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON AT THE.
-- THE PIER.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO WITH THIS STORM.
BACK TO YOU.
TALITHA: PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
WE SAW THAT BIG GUST OF WIND ROCK HER AND THE PHOTOGRAPHER.
OF THE COAST, THE STORM SURGE CONTINUES TO ROCK THE BEACH.
KENNY: THAT’S WHERE WE FIND LOWELL MELSER WHO IS LIVE AT NAGS HEAD.
WE CAN BARELY SEE YOU.
REPORTER WE ARE STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE WIND.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 50 MILES PER HOUR.
A COUPLE OF GUSTS OVER 60.
WHEN WE LAST SAW YOU, A LITTLE RAIN, NOW WE ARE STARTING TO FEEL LIKE BANDS OF RAIN, BUT WHEN YOU MIX LIGHT RAIN IN WITH THESE HAVE YOUR WINDS AND IT HITS YOU IN THE FACE, IT FEELS
MUCH HEAVIER THAN IT IS.
SURF REMAINS THE SAME.
10 FOOT WAVES.
OVERNIGHT, THOSE EXPECTED TO CLIMB.
THAT WILL FEED INTO THE SITUATION DEALING WITH STORM SURGE.
ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO FOUR FEET TO THE NORTH OF US, FOUR TO SIX FEET WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UP TO NINE FEET AS YOU HEAD DOWN TO CAPE HATTERAS.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE RADAR GRAPHICS, YOU SEE THE SPINNING WHERE WE ARE.
LESS RAIN, MORE WIND.
THAT IS THE LATEST LIVE IN NEXT HAD. -- NAGS HEAD.
KENN WE HAVE IMAGES FROM MOREHEAD CITY.
THEY HAVE RECEIVED FIVE INCHES OF RAIN ACCOUNTING.
ON TOP OF THAT, POWER IS OUT TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BUILDING.
THEY DO HAVE A WORKING GENERATOR.
EMERALD ISLE IS ABOUT A 30 MINUTE DRIVE FROM ATLANTIC BEACH AND THE BRIDGE CLOSED TODAY NOON.
NO ONE IN OR OUT FROM THE CAPE CARTERET SIDE UNTIL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS GIVE THE OK.
IT IS A MESS.
A BIG CONCERN WITH FLORENCE, STORM SURGE.
FLOODING RIGHT NOW IN NEW BERN ALONG THE NEUSE RIVER.
TALITHA: ON THE LEFT IS CAROLINA BEACH, WHERE ROADS ARE ALREADY COVERED BY FLOODWATERS.
THE WEATHER CHANNEL’S DOCTOR GREG POSTEL EXPLAINS WHAT EXACTLY STORM SURGE IS AND W IT’S SO DANGEROUS >> STORM SURGE IS OFTEN THE DEADLIEST PART OF A HURRICANE.
LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE, STARTING WITH A ONE TO THREE FOOT WATER RISE ABOVE NORMALLY DRY GROUND.
NOW THIS MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE MUCH, BUT REMEMBER, THIS IS FLOWING WATER BEING PUSHED BY THE WIND.
WE KNOW THAT ONE TO THREE FOOT OF STORM SURGE CAN KNOCK YOU OFF YOUR FEET, STALL OUT CARS, AND EVEN EVEN CARRY CARS AWAY.
IT IS TOO LATE TO EVACUATE WHEN THE WATER RISES TO THIS LEVEL.
BUT LET’S GO ABOVE THAT.
LET’S GO THREE TO SIX FEET FOR EXAMPLE.
VERY LARGE OBJECTS CAN BE CARRIED IN THIS KIND OF FLOWING WATER.
THEY CAN ACT AS BATTERING RAMS AND ENHANCE THE DAMAGE.
NOW LET’S GO EVEN ABOVE THAT NINE FEET OF STORM SURGE.
THIS KIND OF STORM SURGE IS NOT SURVIVABLE UNLESS YOU MOVE TO THE HIGHER FLOORS IN WHATEVER STRUCTURE YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN.
SO PLEASE, FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EVACUATE AS ORDERED WHEN A HURRICANE MOVES IN.
KENNY: STUNNING IMAGES THERE.
AS FAR AS FLORENCE IMPACT IN T PIEDMONT TRIAD, RANDOLPH COUNTY IS EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THE HARDER HIT AREAS.
ASHEBORO IS ONLY ABOUT 3 HOURS FROM WILMINGTON.
TALITHA: THAT’S WHERE WE FIND OUR STEVE KING TONIGHT TO SHOW US HOW PEOPLE ARE BRACING FOR THE STORM.
REPORTER: IT IS STARTING TO FEEL A BIT COOLER IN DOWNTOWN ASHEBORO.
IT HAS DRIZZLED THE LAST HOUR.
NOW IT IS DRY.
THE WIND HAS BEEN PICKING UP.
YOU CAN SEE THE WIND IS A BIT HERE ALONG SUNSET AVENUE . RANDOLPH COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES LEADERS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN THEIR OPERATION CENTER ALL
DAY PREPARING TO TAKE CALLS AS NEEDED.
SO FAR THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE.
MEANWHILE, THE OWNERS OF HOPS BARBECUE SAY THEY ARE GOING TO STAY OPEN DURING THE STORM AS LONG AS THERE IS STILL ELECTRICITY.
>> THE PEOPLE COMING IN HERE ARE VERY LOYAL TO US.
THEY RELY ON US BEING OPEN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HERE FOR THEM.
A LOT THEM, LITERALLY ALL THE TIME, ARE RELYING ON US TO BE OPEN.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THEM AS LONG AS WE CAN.
REPORTER: EMERGENCY OFFICIALS EXPECT FLASH FLOODING DURING THIS STORM.
IF DRIVERS SEE FLASH FLOODING, THEY NEED TO TURN AROUND AND FIND ANOTHER ROUTE.
REPORTING FROM ASHEBORO, STEVE KING, WXII 12 NEWS.
KENNY: YOU CAN FIND ALL THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE WXII 12 NEWS MOBI