Coastal states prepare as Florence becomes category 4 storm

Photo Courtesy of NASA

LEXINGTON PARK, MD – The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported Monday that Hurricane Florence has reached sustained winds of 130 mph upgrading the storm to a category 4 hurricane.  

The NHC is predicting tropical-storm-force winds to hit the East Coast by Thursday morning with Florence making landfall in the Carolinas later this week. In preparation for the impending storm, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have declared a state of emergency and have issued evacuation plans.

In Virginia, Navy ships located in Hampton Roads have been ordered out of the sea to avoid damage from Florence, according to U.S. Fleet Command.  

 At this time, it’s unclear which path the storm will take once it makes landfall but residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region have been advised by forecasters to have a hurricane plan ready. 

*This article was updated Monday, 4:05 p.m. to include Maryland’s declaration of a state of emergency.*