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LIVE UPDATES: Streets begin to flood in coastal North Carolina as Florence hits

By Severe Weather Team 2
By Severe Weather Team 2

The outer bands of Hurricane Florence are beginning to brush the coast of the Carolinas.

Right now, Florence is a Category 2 storm with sustained wind holding at 105 mph and gusts at 120 mph.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Severe Weather Team 2 App for updates]

A state of emergency is in effect for all 159 counties in Georgia. In metro Atlanta, we could see some rain as the remnants of the storm move through late Sunday and Monday.

[RELATED: Florence slowing down as it approaches East Coast, could bring rain to GA]

Channel 2 Action News has our experienced team of meteorologists and reporters covering all angles of the storm as it approaches. Severe Weather Team 2 Brian Monahan is in Wilmington, N.C., Channel 2's Nicole Carr is in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Channel 2's Tony Thomas is in Savannah. Follow them to stay updated as the storm hits.

LIVE UPDATES:

6:50 p.m. Florence now interacting with land in the Carolinas.

6:49 p.m. Pressure continuing to fall in Wilmington.

6:30 p.m. Current picking up in Wilmington, N.C.

6:23 p.m. Storm is now 90 miles east of Wilmington moving WNW.

6:00 p.m. Florence continues to show possible strengthening as it approaches the coast.

5:48 p.m. Wind gusts strengthening as Florence nears.

5:30 p.m. Thousands are already without power in North Carolina.

5:22 p.m. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brad Nitz says it's possible that Florence could restrengthen a bit before making landfall.

5:15 p.m. Florence has shifted a bit north, but is likely to move back.

5:10 p.m. Hurricane Florence is now 100 miles from Wilmington, NC.

4:55 p.m. Wind and rain picking up in Wilmington, NC, where Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan is reporting.

4:50 p.m. Storm surge in full effect in parts of North Carolina.

4:45 p.m. Florence continues to weaken, with wind now at 100 mph.

4:40 p.m. Convoy leaves Atlanta to help with Florence.

4:03 p.m. Channel 2 Action News has a team of reporters and meteorologists spread across the coast as Florence moves in. We have complete coverage of the storm right now on Channel 2 Action News.

4:00 p.m. Florence moving very slowly to the NW at a speed of 5 mph. The storm has a maximum sustained wind of 105 mph.

3:55 p.m. Severe Weather Team 2 meteorologists preparing to bring you complete coverage of Hurricane Florence on Channel 2 Action News at 4 p.m.

3:40 p.m. Parts of coastal North Carolina starting to flood.

3:07 p.m. Wind gusts nearly up to 80 mph in parts of North Carolina.

3:03 p.m. GEMA is at a Level 1 full scaled activation.

2:58 p.m. Channel 2's Nicole Carr is in Myrtle Beach with people who ignored the mandatory evacuation order.

2:44 p.m. Officials say over 16,000 people are already without power in North Carolina.

2:41 p.m. Attorney General's office confirms it's received six complaints of gas station price gouging in Georgia.

2:34 p.m. New advisory issued.

2:20 p.m. Alabama power crews are staging in Cobb County preparing to help with Hurricane Florence.

2:10 p.m. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brian Monahan is in Wilmington, N.C, and will have updates all day long on Channel 2 Action News.

1:38 p.m. Tropical storm force wind continue to increase as it hits North Carolina.

1:28 p.m. The Waffle House storm center has been activated.

1:20 p.m. Water starting to flood some streets on the NC coast.

1:13 p.m. Channel 2's Tony Thomas is headed out on a flight with Hurricane Hunters.

12:50 a.m. Storm surge has already started to move in on Wilmington Beach:

12:44 p.m. Channel 2's Nicole Carr is in Myrtle Beach, SC, where the last grocery store in the area will be closing at 2 p.m.

12:34 p.m. Places in Atlanta offering discounts and free tickets to hurricane evacuees.

12:27 p.m. A spokesperson for Delta says the airline has canceled a total of 150 flights ahead of Florence.

12:26 p.m. Rainfall totals still expected to reach 40 inches in isolated areas.

12:22 p.m. Hurricane Florence is about 125 miles off the North Carolina coast.

12:11 p.m. The first tropical storm force winds have reached North Carolina.

11:49 a.m. Agencies in Atlanta are preparing to help with Hurricane Florence.

11:39 a.m. Hurricane Florence is expected to make landfall just one mph shy of a Category 3 storm.

11:05 a.m. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologists Brad Nitz and Katie Walls answer your questions on Facebook.

Severe Weather Team 2 Answers Questions About Hurricane Florence

TRACKING FLORENCE: Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologists Brad Nitz and Katie Walls are answering YOUR questions as Hurricane Florence's outer rain bands reach the coast of North Carolina and wind picks up. https://2wsb.tv/2MtzLOV Live coverage continues on Channel 2 Action News at Noon.

Posted by WSB-TV on Thursday, September 13, 2018

10:56 a.m. 11 a.m. advisory and new forecast track released. Not much has changed on the track.

10:53 a.m. Wind picking up off North Carolina coast as Florence gets closer.

10:43 a.m. Wind gusts measured up to 57 mph near the North Carolina coast as Hurricane Florence's outer bands hit.

10:20 a.m. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Brad Nitz warns people along the coast to stay alert.

9:45 a.m. Extensive storm surge flooding expected in areas as Florence continues to get closer.

9:37 a.m. FEMA warns people in evacuation zones, "Your time is running out."

9:23 a.m. Sun is still shining in North Carolina, but not for long as Florence moves in.

9:19 a.m. UGA moves game time against MTSU to noon on Saturday.

“After extensive evaluation involving the uncertainly of weather conditions on the east coast, and consideration of all constituencies involved including fans, support staff, and law enforcement, the Saturday Georgia-Middle Tennessee State game has been moved from 7:15 p.m. to a 12 noon kickoff in Sanford Stadium," the school said.

8:48 a.m. Hurricane Florence is now moving at 12 mph. The outer rain bands are hitting the outer banks of North Carolina.

8:26 a.m. Karen Minton gives an update on Hurricane Florence's path, says strength will not change much before landfall.

8 a.m. New advisory keeps Florence at a Category 2 storm with 110 mph sustained wind.

7:35 a.m. Image from National Weather Service shows Hurricane Florence approaching the coastline.

7:14 a.m. All eyes on the tropics. Right now, there are four named storms in the Atlantic, and a 60% chance of development for a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico.

7:00 a.m. Wind is beginning to pick up along the coast in Myrtle Beach, where Channel 2's Nicole Carr has been reporting all morning on Channel 2 Action News This Morning.

6:38 a.m. Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologist Karen Minton warns that strongest winds will be Friday morning along the North Carolina coast, but says winds won't be as big of an issue as the life-threatening flooding and storm surge.

6:09 a.m. Despite the slightly weakened storm, rainfall potential remains the same. Some isolated areas could see up to 40 inches of rain over the next several days.

5:51 a.m. Tropical storm force wind reach out nearly 200 miles in every direction from the center of Hurricane Florence. The Carolinas are expected to start feeling the stronger wind today.

5:48 a.m. Eye of Hurricane Florence is degrading a bit.

5:36 a.m. Outer bands of Hurricane Florence are beginning to brush the East Coast.

5:30 a.m. Channel 2 Action News has your covered throughout the day with crews spread across the coast and throughout metro Atlanta covering all angles of the storm.

5:20 a.m. Channel 2's Nicole Carr is live in Myrtle Beach where evacuations are underway.

5 a.m. Hurricane Florence slowing down as it approaches the East Coast. It is a Category 2 storm with sustained wind of 110 mph.

Cox Media Group

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