Mandatory evacuations in place as Hurricane Florence looms

More than 1 million people could find themselves on the road as South Carolina starts evacuating its entire coastline at noon today in preparation for Hurricane Florence. Virginia and North Carolina are also evacuating low-lying coastal areas ahead of what could be the worst storm to hit the region in decades.

Top winds slowed to 130 mph this morning, according to the National Hurricane Center, but the Category 4 storm is still building strength and expected to reach Category 5 status as it moves over warm water off the coast of the Carolinas before making landfall Thursday. Total rainfall could reach 30 inches in some areas, and a storm surge of up to 12 feet is expected on a stretch of the North Carolina coastline from Cape Fear to Cape Lookout.

But if Florence lingers over the Carolinas through Saturday as expected, it could bring heavy rainfall, flash floods, and mudslides as far inland as the Appalachian Mountains and West Virginia, complicating evacuations for those fleeing the coast.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Isaac is approaching the Caribbean, with hurricane watches in effect for Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Dominica and tropical storm watches issued for Antiqua and Montserrat.