NEW HANOVER COUNTY — New Hanover County officials are asking all county residents to be in a safe place no later than 8 p.m. Wednesday evening as Hurricane Dorian moves closer to the North Carolina coastline.
Barrier islands in the state are under mandatory evacuation orders. No such orders have been announced in mainland New Hanover, Brunswick, or Pender Counties.
Related: Updated Hurricane Dorian info: Evacuations, closings, shelters, hotlines, and more
New Hanover County officials held a press release Wednesday with updated local information from the National Weather Service Wilmington.
Steven Still, New Hanover County Emergency Services Director, said the latest models show Hurricane Dorian passing roughly 12 miles off the coast of New Hanover County and its beach communities.
Dorian is projected to pass as a Category 1 Hurricane. Storm-force winds are projected to touch down by 8 a.m. Thursday; peak winds are projected between 9 p.m. Thursday and 5 a.m. Friday, with peak gusts reaching up to 102 mph.
Conditions will subside by 11 a.m. Friday, Still said at the press release Wednesday. Rainfall will range between 5 to 10 inches, with the possibility of higher isolated pockets, projections show. Storm surge on the coastline could span between 4 to 7 feet.
The highest impacts in the Cape Fear Region will be caused by storm surge, according to County Manager Chris Coudriet.
“This is not a Florence event,” Still said Wednesday. “But we also do not want to take this storm lightly.”
- A public information line is open 24/7 to provide other emergency-related information to callers at 910-798-6800.
- Find up-to-date information pertaining to Brunswick County online or on Brunswick County Emergency Management’s Facebook page.
- Pender County Emergency Management will post updates on its Facebook page and website.
- Shelters, hotlines, evacuation notices, closures, and more will be updated here.