COASTAL CAROLINAS — Former Hurricane Florence, now a tropical storm, is headed south and then west through South Carolina, but it will continue to soak the coastal region for days, heavy rains that will cause potentially life-threatening floods.
As of Saturday morning, the eye of Tropical Storm Florence was south of Myrtle Beach, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is expected to slowly cross South Carolina over the weekend.
According to the National Weather Service, the outer bands of Tropical Storm Florence will continue to deliver “potentially catastrophic” amounts of rain, along with tropical-storm-force winds, with gusts between 40 and 60 miles-per-hour. The lingering wind and rain will last throughout the weekend, and could easily down additional trees and push already swollen rivers and tidal creeks to overflow — or, in the case of the Cape Fear River, which crested yesterday, to further overflow.
The national weather service is calling for “major to record river flooding,” especially in those areas that received the heaviest rainfall, which includes all of New Hanover County and most of Pender and Brunswick counties.
Storm surges along the Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender county coastline and tidal creek areas may still reach as high as 5 feet, aggravating that river flooding.
Many curfews and evacuation orders still stand, and those hoping to return to the area are advised to wait at least until Monday, when the rain and winds will finally subside. Port City Daily will have additional information on making a safe return to the area through the weeked.
