As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Florence has shifted its path to the south as high pressure from the north pushes it downward.
That means the Hampton Roads area is out of the immediate “cone” but there are still several weather threats to look out for.
Jeff Orrock, chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wakefield, said “I don’t want folks dropping their guard.”
He said that starting Thursday afternoon, Hampton Roads will be experiencing 20-mph winds with gusts up to 30 mph.
This will increase to 30-mph winds and 40-mph gusts on Friday, and then possibly up to 50-mph on Saturday.
With the higher winds comes the concern for major tidal flooding, Orrock said.
While Orrock said there may be no life-threatening danger, there is the danger of getting trapped, property and businesses damaged in the coastal regions because of flooding flooding.
Flooding along the coast will reach its peak at around high-tide, which takes place Friday afternoon.
He advises that people move their cars and secure their property in the flood zones.
As far as rain is concerned, it is a little hard to tell exactly how much rain there will be but Orrock said the area could expect around 3-5 inches in some places and 4-6 inches in others.
Orrock is unsure of how much rain Hampton Roads will get since the area is outside of the “cone of uncertainty” but there is a possibility of the northern portion of the hurricane rainfall getting dropped on parts of Hampton Roads.
Currently, the National Hurricane Center has released a tropical storm watch as well as coastal flood advisories for the coastal regions of Hampton Roads.
According to the National Hurricane Center, (11 a.m.) Florence, a potentially catastrophic Category 4 storm, was centered 485 miles (785 kilometers) southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, moving at 15 mph (24 kph). It was packing winds of 130 mph (215 kph) and enough moisture to dump feet of rain on that region.
To monitor Hurricane Florence, click this link.
