russia began air strikes in idlib last week as a prelude to retaking the region. >>> the national weather serviceing it the storm of a lifetime. 30 million people in the path of hurricane florence. evacuations underway. cnn's weather center has a live forecast next. i'm hoping these nature sounds will help me relax a bit.. at least we don't have to worry about homeowners insurance. just call geico. geico helps with homeowners insurance? good to know. feeling better? i love you, pookie bear. [parrot 1] i love you, pookie bear. [parrot 2] i love you, pookie bear! [parrots] i love you, pookie bear!!! get to know geico and see how easy homeowners and renters insurance can be. know about cognitive performance? as you'd probably guess, a lot. that's why a new brain health supplement called forebrain from the harvard-educated experts at force factor is flying off the shelves at gnc. forebrain's key ingredients have been clinically shown to help enhance sharpness and clarity, improve memory, and promote learning ability. and now every man and woman in america can claim a complimentary bottle. just use yo

in addition to forecast and decision support from the national weather service, noaa deploys assets to support recovery and response. noaa's navigation response teams are prestaging to assist in reopening ports as soon as possible. the national survey has aircraft on standby to support fema overflights for affected areas. noaa's office of response and recovery is also on stand bito assist the coast guard -- standby to assist the coast guard. a system is actively providing distress and specific location information to the coast guard. noaa is working with local emergency managers and industry to help amplify our forecast message, including working through over 8,000 weather-ready nation ambassadors. although the storm has made landfall, our work is not done. i want to say thank you to our hardworking team from the response and recovery personnel across noaa to our reconnaissance crews in the office of marine and aviation operations. and additionally to the national weather service and national hurricane center employees who have been working 24/7 shifts, many of these individuals have b

the national weather service warning of life threatening, catastrophic flooding.ssued, the path adjusted southward. it is still expected to slam into north carolina's coast tomorrow night or friday morning. florence still a category-four storm, but it picked up strength overnight and could become a category five today. one meteorologist at the national weather service warning everyone in the region there has potential for, quote, unbelievable damage. florence currently packing 130 mile-per-hour winds is expected to stall when it makes landfall, raising concerns about the catastrophic flooding. >> now the epa tells cnn there's a threat of florence triggering the release of toxic chemicals from nine hazardous waste sites along the carolina coastline. the agency is performing vulnerability reviews right now. we have more from the weather center. this is a monster. we've seen the path turn a little bit. bring us up to speed. >> big changes will overnight in the models. they hinted at this change yesterday, but now they are full on changed, the storm getting klcoi ie--

national weather service officials warning, quote, i can't emphasize enough the potential for unbelievable damage from wind, storm surge and inland flooding with this storm. the north carolina governor also sounding the alarm. >> the waves and the wind this storm may bring is nothing like you've ever seen. >> reporter: with a message for locals who have weathered storms before and plan to wait this one out. >> we need people to evacuate. they're putting their own lives at risk as well as the lives of first responders. >> reporter: those first responders along with thousands of other disaster response crews preparing for the worst as florence creeps closer. >> this is extremely serious. we have over 3 million volunteers across the nation that can help us. >> good luck to everybody out there in the path of hurricane florence. >> reporter: and here in wrightsville beach, which is east of wilmington, a lot told me they don't plan on going anywhere. and when i asked about that mandatory evacuation record that goes into effect at 8:00 this morning they said they'll take their chances. kendis, st

the national weather service put out a flash flood emergency. more about the technicality of that, pretty much the way they describe it is it is not about to happen, it is happening, four counties to the north near cape hatteras, they were saying if you are able to get out, you have to get out asap because the floodwaters are coming in a -- asap because the floodwaters are coming in. >> basically the water is already causing problems. one last question, this is no longer a hurricane, it is a tropical storm. are people surprised? you can see wind gusts right now. it still almost as powerful as a hurricane and terms of rain fell. >> reporter: you know, people are still taking the storm seriously. with that said, as a driver on a patrols, they are starting to see people come out of the woodwork and walk around and try to see what it is like. they're saying it is way too early to do some like that. the rain is still coming and even if it seems like the wind is dying done, there is still a potential of flooding. the major warning we are getting from

we will speak to the national weather service in wilmington next. our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition... for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with nine grams of protein and twenty-six vitamins and minerals. ensure. now up to 30 grams of protein for strength and energy! we distributeus, i'm the owner environmentally-friendly packaging for restaurants. and we've grown substantially. so i switched to the spark cash card from capital one. i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. and last year, i earned $36,000 in cash back. that's right, $36,000. which i used to offer health insurance to my employees. my unlimited 2% cash back is more than just a perk, it's our healthcare. can i say it? what's in your wallet? super emma just about sleeps in her cape. i'm super emma. but when we realized she was battling sensitive skin, we switched to tide pods free & gentle. it's gentle on her skin and takes care of stains better than the other free and clear detergent. so she can focus on saving the world, with a little

meteorologist david glenn who works for your national weather service. i asked david about myrtle beach because i wanted to, as we're watching the degrading conditions there, we had a branch down in the road in front of our car, tammy leitner remains in myrtle. tammy, perhaps you heard david give the prediction of when conditions are really going to start to go south for you, no pun intended. >> yeah. you know, one thing i can tell you, this storm is no doubt fickle. it started to rain and just as quickly as it started it stopped. you know, i'm not sure what to make of it. the wind has kicked up. it stopped. it kicked up. it stopped. no wonder people here in myrtle beach are confused. i can tell you there's a mandatory evacuation and order. people left days ago, but people have actually started calling the emergency operation center here and asking if they can return. people are confused. they don't know what to make of this storm because here in myrtle beach it has been pretty calm. they've had days to prepare for the storm and the storm really has not

in the last 15, 20 minutes the national weather service, they split national weather service, local reporting. newport is the main highway where we have seen the heavy flooding. also crossing it and they have pictures up to twitter showing that the newport river is above the bridge between morehead and newport on the way to new bern making it impassable. the river above it. hopefully in the rain subsides a little more, it will become a little passible so emergency crews, construction and power trucks. duke energy made a pledge to get everybody up to power. they have zero power in this area. they have been hit really, really hard with the power outages. all the power lines are above ground. that wind damage toppled the power lines. power lines are dropped everywhere. a dangerous situation. just to recap a little bit of what we have been talking about with the new bern officials, they are pursuing about a hundred rescues, but they are having trouble with mobility because of the flooding and having trouble finding a place to put the people they are rescuing. they have opened up a building on the

when you're lookingng at storm surge of t this magnitude where the national weather service has said that the damage is going to and that theye cannot emphasize it enough, we know that is a messagege that we should listen to. amy: hurricane florence is also expepected to cause widespread damage, including waste spills. in north carolina, the billion-dollar pork industry is clustered in the eastern part of the state, directly in the line of the storm. many of these factory hog farms store their waste by spraying it on nearby fields and neighborhoods or by depositing it in lagoons that can overflow during hurricanes, causing the toxic pig maneuver to pour into nearby waterways. at least nine nuclear facilities also line the storm's path, including duke energy's brunswick nuclear plant in north carolina. the water reactors are similar to ones that melted down at the fukushima nuclear plant in japan after a massive tsunami. meanwhile, evacuations are underway in the philippines were ther typhoon has reached strength of a a category 5 hurricane. the storm already caused power outages and

now, the national weather service says florence will, quote, likely be the storm of a lifetime for portions of the carolina coast. president trump tweeting out a video message warning everyone to take this storm seriously. >> get out of its way. don't play games with it. it's a big one. maybe as big as they've seen. and tremendous amounts of water. the storm will come. it will go. we want everybody to be safe. >> florence is expected to hit late tomorrow night and into early friday morning. it could stall out over the carolina coast dropping as much as 20 inches of rain in 24 hours. a lot of people people compare it to one of the worst storms to hit the united states hurricane hugo hitting florida and south carolina back in 1989. the question is, how similar are they? this is satellite image of florence taken earlier today. here is the comparison. here is what florence look like when compared to hurricane hugo. here is hugo and the left side. florence is there. now, hugo had stronger winds a capturing 4. florence is physically bigger and slower moving. let's bring in chief meteorologist jef

workers from the national weather service drove down a roadway covered with downed trees and branches, duke energy says it expects 3 million of its customers will lose power in this storm. >> we have team coverage tonight, chief meteorologist bill martin is tracking the storm. first we go to fox news ray bogan in wilmington, north carolina, with conditions right there. ray? >> reporter: yeah, frank and heather good evening. let me tell you something, this wind is only getting stronger as we go. which is one of the reasons why the national weather service has issued a flood warning for new hanover county, where we are, until saturday at 6:00 p.m. >> forecasters say florence is a massive slow-moving storm that could dump up to 40 inches of rain on the carolinas. the storm surge could be as high as 11 feet. more than one and half million people in the carolinas and virginia have been told to evacuate. >> anyone still unwilling to take this storm seriously, let me be clear, you need to get yourself to a safe place now. and, stay there. >> reporter: the governors of north and south carolin

this time try to defer to the national weather service of monterey. are talking about. water temperatures are cool. database 51. san francisco buoy is a brisk adt. the city dropped to 52 and that is a good reason. the average for mid-august and the end of september as 57. a viewer wrote me and i will do my best to answer question. what is the warmest sst, sea surface temperature ever recorded at the several buoy. i had a good authority with the national weather service in monterey. they did the research and it was 90.9 celsius or 67.8 degrees in august 1997. now you know and now i know and that is pretty warm. it is really warm. the viewers that it could not have been more than 61. >>> when it nature wink that you, good morning. it is downtown -- downtown oakland marty. high and downtown oakland. it is very cool. a few 30s. a lot of low 40s. the mid-40s and we are bouncing off of some of those but it is a slow process. we are still looking at low 50s. there is an onshore breeze and we are window to kick in. it has a teeny bit to the north and there ar

the national weather service calling it the storm of a lifetime.ck out the image from space to give you a sense of how massive this is. florence is a cat 4 with sustained winds of 130 miles an hour, millions of people might be affected by the life threatening storm. authorities are giving people simple advice, leave. leave now. joining me now, craig melvin in wilmington, north carolina. are people doing that? are they taking the warnings seriously enough? >> reporter: it would seem as if they are. we have heard over the last day or so from local officials, statewide officials, get out. get out. i can tell you having come last night, taking the drive from raleigh to wilmington, people are heeding those warnings. we have a stream of cars heading to higher and safer ground. we are told by a number of officials that people -- we should point out, we are in an area not under mandatory evacuation, yet. that's expected to change tonight. people not waiting for the mandatory evacuation order. this is going to be an epic storm. this is an area that is used

update came from the national weather service. obviously just about -- just before the top of the hour. and there was something that sam champion noted that's especially ominous. even at this point in the storm. >> just while we stay on that picture of victor's live shot, take a look at that. because that's a 76-mile-per-hour wind just reported in that jacksonville area. take a look at those winds. now that is strong hurricane-force winds right there whipping through there. so more head city, the other thing i want to tell you, there's a 5.5-foot surge in more head city. new bern we know was a 10-foot surge. then, yes, sir, the 4:00 a.m. what we call a repositioning, the hurricane center says, okay, here's where the storm is, here's what the wind field is, here's where it's moving again. we have a 90-mile-per-hour max sustained win, still a cat 1 storm, moving west-northwest at 6 miles per hour, which is a slow crawl. not good news, it means it's still sitting there and those people are underneath it who have been underneath it no

and additionally to the national weather service, national hurricane center employees who have been working 24/7 shifts. many of these individuals have been sheltered in place for many days. thank you. >> good morning. and again, my name is jeff buyers, the associate administrator for response and recovery. i want to start again by thanking the media and our partners, you've done a tremendous job amplifying how serious and potentially deadly this storm is and continue to be our partners at noaa and weather center to keep this brief. this is not the end of it. 24 to 36 hours remain of a significant threat from heavy rain, heavy surge, not just in north carolina, but obviously down as we move into south carolina. the message was very much amplyfied last night again through our media partners, you know, things like that i witnessed firsthand about category 3 to category 2, category 2 to category 1. it was very clear that that's a wind indicator not a surge and rain indicator, which has not dropped, as you can see. so, again, we want to thank you for being a part of our team as far as getting t

the national weather service director, thanks very much for joining us. we'll get back to you as well. >> the breaking news continuing. hurricane florence push agrawal of water up to 13 feet high. ahead of it, which areas will bear the brunt? plus, more on the latest forecast for the storm. i'll talk to the director of the national hurricane center. that's next. you know, i used to be good at this. then you turn 40 and everything goes. tell me about it. you know, it's made me think, i'm closer to my retirement days than i am my college days. hm. i'm thinking... will i have enough? should i change something? well, you're asking the right questions. i just want to know, am i gonna be okay? i know people who specialize in "am i going to be okay." i like that. you may need glasses though. yeah. schedule a complimentary goal planning session today with td ameritrade. when we switched our auto and home insurance. with liberty, we could afford a real babysitter instead of your brother. hey! oh, that's my robe. is it? when you switch to liberty mutual, you could

. >> and the national weather service, the local offices make their zone forecast and i just saw the new river forecast for cape fear river. they updated the forecast and now saying it's going to break told the record by two feet, which was hurricane floyd in 1999 which people thought would never be broken and the second highest ever -- this will be six feet higher than the second highest water level ever recorded, is offer the charts. it's going to be impossible to drive through sections of north carolina. with this water and roads washed out, it's just a nightmare scenario. it's not the whole state. it's the coast and it's pretty crazy some of the numbers from a category one. just shows you the category only describes the wind. it's a disservice to be calling it a category one. so far up to this point all the heaviest rains have been to the north of the center in these bands. we've had 12-inch reports in the atlantic beach areas and that was from a couple hours ago. and now the rainfall total rds starting to add up around jacksonville. and a couple three/four i've heard some report

he is with the national weather service in wilmington, north carolina. we heard from meteorologist derek van dam in carolina beach. there are 1,000 people who are thinking about staying. many, of course, we heard saying they have ridden out hurricanes in the past. this is different. how dangerous is this? >> it is extremely dangerous. we have storm surge up to 13 feet potentially. it is a wide storm and with the length and duration, it will be battering for hours upon hours. >> we know strong winds are likely here. they are expecting tropical stor storm-force wind this afternoon. talk to us about the risk of downed trees and power lines? >> that is a risk we had with the many hurricanes we had here. we will see it start to fail in pockets of the city go out and finally for the whole area. it is not uncommon. this is going to be such a long duration. it will be interesting to see. >> i know they are preparing for a couple of weeks without power in parts. >> right. we know t real danger, reid, is not necessarily the winds we start seeing today and into tom

the national weather service we have brought in extra people. we'll be around the clock and doing the best we can. and to provide information and warnings to the public. and provide help to provide safety to the people. >> all right. 24 hours until land fall. thank you so much. we'll talk again. we'll watch the updates this morning. hurricane florence has the potential to be one of the expensive to strike the united states. 759,000 homes in the path of the dangerous storm. according to early analysis. from core logic. worst case more than $170 billion to rebuild. 62 billion more than hurricane katrina in 2005. that storm cost at least 108 billion. in property damage. that has the dubious honor of the costliest in u.s. history. however the cost projections were made before the storm was downgraded. the impact remains a mystery here. these forecasts will change a lot. as we go through the next few days. insurance companies are bracing for a hit if a major loss happens. investors will hesitate before -- prices could skyrocket for consumers. >> spea

the national weather service putting out these pictures. this is highway 70 n. bern, the bridge cut off. even if fuel trucks wanted to get in they would not be up to bring is anything. the news out of new bern this morning they are making 100 more rescues this hour, they rescued 375, they say the recreational center, basketball goals, retreating from floodwaters, they are cut off from the major source of resources for the folks there. they are working around the clock trying to get things done. here in morehead it is absolutely dark. the side streets are flooded. some of the storm surge has gone back out but it is a situation, the energy trucks and first responders saying we are ready, just need mother nature to cooperate. our first break in 30 hours but we have rain in the forecast. jillian: you have been working around-the-clock to let everyone know what it looks like, appreciate it. connell: those are some pictures, that gas station. everyone is talking about it across the carolinas, destroying gas stations, flattening trees and roads and taking down power li

national weather service issued a flood warning here. stat flood warning for creeks and ams, watch out, remember, turn around, don't drown. we'll continue to se rain here over the next hour or so. all of the boundary moving in. it's not relative or related to hurricflorence, however. hurricane florence now making its way towards the east coast, and, ain, re, only about 400 miles away. the eye looking a ltle ragged at the moment. that's showing you the weakening that it's seeing here.bl that's pos good news, but it does not matter. when a storm weakens like that, it enlarges the wind field just a little bit, and the stronger it is, the tighter the field so you weaken the storm a little bit, the hurricane force winds extend further out. right now, 120 miles per hour storm with windswe moving north at 16, on the track close to wilmington, north carolina and outer banks by friday night or by tomorrow night into the day on friday as a category 3 storm and moving south towards myrtle beach, another pattern, and up and around by monday still ou

brian todd is in swan quarter, north carolina, drew, the national weather service calls hurricane florencewhere you are taking the warnings seriously? >> that forecast they woke up to here this morning, showing that southward bend really was a wakeup call, especially to the myrtle beach area, the city manager here, issuing an executive order telling people to stay out of the ocean, you can see that nobody is here, the reason is they want all their first responders on this day, this last day to concentrate on evacuating people, you can see it from highways here in myrtle beach, all the way down to charleston, both directions are now facing away from the ocean as people try to get out of the path of this storm. it's not just that there might be a hit here in myrtle beach, it's the duration, a three-day possible event. as one official said, this is a thrill ride you really don't want to be on. 3,200 people spent the night in shelters as of last night, those numbers expected to go. so answer, yes, wolf, they are taking it very serious here and every business will shut down on myrtle beach at 5

national weather service quote, can't emphasize enough the potential for unbelievable damage for windm surge and inland flooding with this storm. the governor also sounding the alarm. >> the waves and the wind this storm may bring is nothing like you've ever seen. >> reporter: with a message for locals who have weathered storms before and plan to wait this one out. >> we need people to evacuate. they're putting their own lives at risk, as well as the lives of first responders. >> reporter: those first responders, along with thousands of other disaster response crews, preparing for the worst as florence creeps closer. >> this is extremely serious. we have 3 million volunteers across the nation that can help us. >> i can't imagine what is about to happen. >> reporter: here in the beach, winds are starting to pick up. people aren't taking this storm seriously. on the flip-side, we just watched three surfers heading into the water with pretty big waves. on wrightsville beach, emily row, abc news. >>> mike, we have been hearing about the storm slowing down. that is not good news. >> not go

. >> reporter: the national weather service calls the rainfall from hurricane florence, a 1,000-year event. >> the fire department is under water. >> reporter: task answered fema's call for help. >> we have training that other people aren't able to do. for us, that brings satisfaction. >> reporter: tonight, half of the team is home in the bay area. they're checked back in at the firehouse. then, cleared medically. health hazards lurk in floodwaters. james troy knows, responding to new orleans, houston and north carolina. >> it is 100% volunteer down to the chief. and the passion they had for the people within their county and their districts was amazing. >> reporter: but they don't have the specialized training. training that can utilized here if necessary. >> it doesn't matter if it's a flood, an earthquake, a tornado, even the wildfires, it's the same core of what we do. it's just a matter of which tool box we bring with us. >> reporter: a caravan of large equipment and 18 firefighters are on their way back. currently in knoxville, tennessee. the rest of the crew is expected to arr

workers at the national weather service were driving down this road. this is incredible.branches everywhere you look. >> 150 people in the city of newborn korma -- new bern, north carolina are waiting to be rescued from severe flooding. the city sits on the banks of two rivers which flooded after that 10 foot storm surge. >> which you have team coverage of hurricane florence. steve paulson

workers from the national weather service drove down a roadway covered with downed trees and branchesys it expects 3 million of its customers will lose power in this storm. >> we have team coverage tonight, chief meteorologist bill martin is tracking the storm. first we go to fox news ray bogan in wilmington, north carolina, with conditions right

the national weather service says storm bands are producing 1 to 2 inches of rain per hour.one slow moving storm so plenty of time for that rain and water to build up. joining me is the former fema spokesperson. welcome to you. fema, what should be happening right now on fema's behalf for help to the communities that are hit by this storm, because let's say preparation time that has long sense passed. >> that's right, alex. right now fema is supporting the response effort so there's teams that have been deployed to four states and d.c. 50 urban search and rescue teams deployed to the area that support the states and local first responders and the help also extends to other parts of the federal government so there's 4,000 national guard members deployed. the u.s. coast guard is available too to support those efforts as conditions allow. i'll say though the one thing that surprises me is there's not yet been a major disaster declaration from president trump. there has been an emergency declaration which supports these initial emergency response efforts but on thursday, the gov

at the national weather service in monterey, i deferred the question to them and they are looking inton

the national weather service has just said it will be unbelievably damaging. >> reporter: the view from outer space shows the enormous size of florence. forecaster say it could drop 15- 25 inches of rain as a tracks inland. while florence is expected to make landfall thursday night into friday the lingering impacts of florence could last at least a few days after that with widespread rain and flooding expected. >>> president trump says they're totally prepared for florence but fema funds have been converted to ice. >> reporter: a video message in -- for those in the path of hurricane florence. >> we are fully prepared with food, medical, everything you can imagine, we are ready. >> reporter: phenyl already staged recovery supplies around the coast and is ready to deploy to despite that, president trump is still urging people to take shelter. >> bad things can happen when you are talking about a storm this size. it is called mother nature. >> reporter: the president has already declared a state of emergency in the carolinas and virginia, clearing the way for immediate federal assistance.

>> glor: yeah, pretty impressive prediction by the national weather service. we're going to check in with our meteorologist, megan glaros, who is driving around. wgan, talk about what you're seeing now and where this storm is heading. >> right, jeff, i mean, the bands are starting to get a little bit more fierce here in wilmington right now. so this is not the eye wall now, obviously. that made landfall long ago, and has calmed down quite a bit. now it's a tropical storm. the eye is no longer really visible on satellite imagery. winds are down to 70. movement, though, is so slow, west at three miles-per-hour. it's 50 miles now west and southwest of our location here n wilmington. what we're looking at, though, are those outer bands. so you're going to get that band wraparound, and it's going to continue to bring rain like we see outside right now through the weekend. because what we have right now -m an incredibly slow-moving storm. i think by tomorrow afternoon, it's maybe close to the center of south carolina, probably still as a tropical storm, though winds

right now the national weather service predicts that what we'll get is tropical storm-force winds, buthey're telling people to be prepared for category 1 or category 2 force winds in case of a change of intensity or track size or the size of the storm in this case the surge has been estimated to be town gradedowngraded so we expect a surge of 4 to 6 feet but rainfall of 16 to 20 inches that could be devastating flooding, though the businesses in this area are largely built up high so that near the beach they would be protected. it's the inland flooding they're most concerned about at this point. also shelters, the state says they can accommodate 16,000 people the mayor estimates that 60% of her town has heeded evacuation warnings and left, but it leaves a lot of people who may decide today to get into shelters >> we saw that some of the path tracks had turned. the storm surge expectations had been tamped down a bit, so i imagine some people have decided to ride it out this is an extremely busy tourist town have you seen signs of small business that decided to remain open >> yeah. actua

forecasters for the national weather service in wilmington are warning this will likely be the storm of a lifetime for portions of the carolina coast. >> so people who live in that region are rushing to get out. there are mandatory evacuations in effect for millions of people. in south carolina officials turned this major highway into a one-way road, as you can see. gas, of course, is in very short supply. some stations have completely run out of fuel. so we have reporters all over the region to bring you the latest, but let's begin with cnn meteorologist chad meyers. he has all the changes in the hurricane's path, and timing, where is it going now, chad? >> hey, alisyn. major changes overnight. the models hinted at those changes yesterday, but now the hurricane center says, yep, they're all doing it. here's how we have to change the path. so here it is. it's 130 miles per hour. it could get stronger today. it's not forecast to be a category 5 storm, it's forecast to be 145-mile-per-hour storm. the first 48 hours don't change at all. this is the exact track we had yesterday. very clo

that's what the national weather service continues to characterize it as. a dangerous cat 4 storm right now about 485 miles southeast of where i am standing right now. the storm massivement bigger than the entire state of michigan. with 130-mile-per-hour winds. expected to make landfall friday morning. people are preparing for a life threatening storm surge of 20 feet. >> the thing about the storm surge of 13 feet of water, this's the ocean rising above mean sea level with wave action on top of that 13 feet. anybody sticking around to experience that really doesn't live to tell about it. >> more than three feet of rain could fall in parts of the carolinas and saturated from raufl this summer. could be, could be talking about instant and catastrophic flooding. mass evacuations are happening right now in the carolinas and virginia causing gridlock. long lines at gas stations. we had a hard time finding gas. at least 16 shelters already open in north carolina. servicing more than 4,000 evacuees so far. some 3,000 national guardsmen to be called by this time to

the national weather service says now tropical cyclone fortuna florence isn't done yet. tom costello has the latest. >> reporter: it happened just at afternoon rush hour began. a massive tornado moving across the ground in the greater richmond area. >> oh! >> reporter: tearing the roof off this business, sending dangerous debris flying through the air. at the university of richmond, students tweeted they were sheltering in the kitchen as a tornado came close to the stadium. at the airport, rain and ominous low clouds as the remnants of hurricane florence sent bands of heavy rain and tornados out of the carolinas and into virginia. >> this is a dangerous day. >> we actually went and hid in the closet. as we were in there, of course, we heard trees snapping and falling and debris flying and whatnot. we knew something was coming through. and of course when we came out we saw the damage. >> reporter: at least one fatality in chesterfield, virginia as florence tears up the east coast. tom costello, nbc news, washington. >> florence is leaving behind a trail of misery as flood

the national weather service says it'marathon, not sprint. tropical wind force conditions through saturday. severe storms and rain through sunday and rivers aren't expect to crest until tuesday. porous if they crest at between 18 and 24 feet there's a possibilityhey could flood i 95 and everyone near those rivers would be in danger. tourism accounts for $21 billion in south carolina. one outf every 10 jobs depends on thoseom visitors king here and spend thing dollars. so how quick it gets back up and operating a the severe weather will be crucial to the economic livelihood of this place. they're depending oon the dunes to help from the storm surge. the question is how bad will itf get and how long? in myrtle beach, south carolina, >> to the economy. >>> whereresales posted the -- they edged up .1% in august following a surge in. they say spending overall is still strong. >>> as you know we've been marking the 10th anniversary o the financial crisis all this week and a lot has changedia finay and economically over the last decade, especially i

storm of a lifetime, that is how the national weather service in north carolina is describing monster hurricane florence. >> the track of the storm right now from the national hurricane center brings it right along the coast, along wilmington friday early morning 2:00 a.m. at 120 miles per hour, and then it starts to parallel the coast and make its way in right over myrtle beach sometime late saturday afternoon. >> these rivers, the neuse river, they normally flow out. with a storm surge, that water reverses and flows inward. it could easily go 30, 40 miles inland with this. >> we'll handle it. we're ready. we're able. get out of its way. don't play games with it. it's a big one. maybe as big as they've seen, and tremendous amounts of water. >> the message to citizens is clear. today is your last day to get out of the areas that have been placed under evacuation orders. >> it's going to disrupt services. it's going to destroy homes. it it going to destroy infrastructure. >> disaster is at the doorstep, and it's coming in. >> it's going to be a monster, so we're like, yeah, we're worri

let's turn to the director of the national weather service. thank you very much for coming in. >> thank you for having me. >> so what's the biggest threat from this monster storm right now? >> there are three threats. we have the surge associated with the storm as it moves towards the coast, especially. very heavy rains. as you saw, we're now predicting over 40 inches of rain to occur in parts of north carolina. and, of course, the winds. you put them all together, and you have some devastating impact that's going to affect a large number of people for a long period of time. >> the east coast doesn't often see a hurricane of this enormity, this magnitude. give us some perspective on what this one is like compared to previous. >> well, i was just going to emphasize, as we see, these storms have their unique characteristics. this is a big storm. it's a slow-moving storm. it's going to be moving along the coast for at least 24 hours. so it's going to prolong the impacts that we've just described. and you know, it's the combination of factors. we'

sustained winds of 60 miles per hour according to the national weather service. and wind gusts 70 to 90 miles per hour. certainly nothing you want to get caught in. the real story is the water. we have video showing flooding in new bern. that is a city an hour inland. so this morning there are reports of water rescues. about 150 people have been requesting rescue. for whatever reason, they did not oevacuate or could not evacuate. now they are in need of rescue. people stuck on roofs as well. thankfully, no report of any deaths or injuries in that. that is a dire situation that is happening inland in north carolina. again, an hour away from the coast. that storm is only just making landfall. this is a slow-moving storm. it will stay parked over us for some time. that is the concern going forward the next couple of days. that we will have significant flooding in this area. so that is the latest here. we'll send it back to you guys in san francisco. >> derrick, i'm wondering how many people where you are and heeded the warning and took off before the storm. are ther

the national weather service says 15 inches of rain in parts of north carolina. says at the bottom of your screen. that's what the national weather service says. but the u.s. geological survey says they have gotten up to 40 inches in some areas. granted, isolated areas. these numbers are more like the norm across the straight -- across the state. 15 inches though. that's a lot of rain in two days. the fox business network's christina par is in myrtle beach where i think they have been spared. >> going to get worse. almost every spot of rain falling in this direction has a grain of sand. little bit more painful than i imagined. 54,000 people in south carolina are without power. that's probably climbed a little bit higher since i last second the stats in dry area. i'm on myrtle beach and it seems definitely like the storm has moved in our area. tronel rains. i was originally when i spoke to you last, shep, i think i was on the strip. now that entire street has been flooded which is why we moved down to the beach in the far distance probably come back but there is a

let's check in with the national weather service in wilmington, north carolina, just north of us. they call it the storm of a lifetime. we're going to talk to them just after the break. ever since darrell's family started using gain flings, their laundry smells more amazing than ever. [darrell's wife] uh, honey, isn't that the dog's towel? [dog sfx] hey, mi towel, su towel. more gain scent plus oxi boost and febreze makes gain flings our best gain ever. gain. seriously good scent. ♪ as moms, we send our kids out into the world, full of hope. and we don't want something like meningitis b getting in their way. meningococcal group b disease, or meningitis b, is real. bexsero is a vaccine to help prevent meningitis b in 10-25 year olds. even if meningitis b is uncommon, that's not a chance we're willing to take. meningitis b is different from the meningitis most teens were probably vaccinated against when younger. we're getting the word out against meningitis b. our teens are getting bexsero. bexsero should not be given if you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose. most

the national weather service has warned rivers are still days from cresting as the deadly storm moves northeast. the atlantic season's first hurricane killed 15 people and more than 700,000 homes are still without power. opec secretary-general says demand for oil is still robust enough to bring stockpiles below their five-year average. however, he also told bloomberg about headwinds brought on by unrelated factors over which the energy market has little control. he rejected criticism of the cartel and its allies saying the oil sector needs strong management. >> there is no viable alternative on the table. to make this corporation which is ourselves and our partners, permanent. the world needs it, the industry needs it. juliette: the uk's prime minister has left no doubt she was prepared to defend her brexit plains amid growing signs a deal with the european union has been reached. theresa may has made it clear she has no intention of wavering , telling the bbc she was irritated at the talk of a leadership contest and ready for a fight. meanwhile, the london mayor has added his voice t

red flag warnings originate from the national weather service. here in sonoma county, they lost 6,000 homes last year, people take them seriously. up it goes. a red flag warning. not on radio, television or internet, but on a pole. symbolic? perhaps. but we know the meaning. >> winds in the upper terrain, we've got low humidities, temperatures on the increase. >> a sonoma county red flag warning actually looks like this. bright sun, dry brush, a building breeze and blackened stumps that serve as bleak reminders. hence the fire service today on active patrols. locals with more than their share of fire experiences. feeling a bit edgy. >> how long would it to get out of here in a hurry? >> probably 15 minutes. >> sharon avoided disaster last year just barely. she lives one mile downwind from the park. this morning, sharon posted on social media that people need to take red flag warnings seriously and be ready. >> of course. because people are not thinking. >> as for sharon, she is packed and ready to go. >> all the photos albums. >> the pets are rea

the national weather service wander of another round of severe weather, including floods. >> terrifying to see that. michelle, anything like that we can expect today? >>n midwest, yeah, might see a couple storms like that. not quite that severe, but a chance for some strong storms, heavy rain in the central and southern plains. out west looking good. sunny and warm, nice day to get to the southwest, temperatures above 100 degrees in some spots. of course, it's the southwest. we're going to be hot there. all right, yeah, storms for a lot of us in the u.s., but the west looking pretty good today. >> thanks, michelle. >>> thousands of riders from across the worlde in celebratio harley-davidson's 115th anniversary. participants included custom bike builders, charitable organizations, and hog chapters. the parade proceeded through the heart of downtown but was cut short by heavy rains in the area. >> really digging that dude's helmet. >>> just ahead, he didn't find what he's looking for. why bono was forced to cancel a u2 concert right in the middle of the show. stay with us. thanks to this.

warned they are in danger and nearly two million have been ordered to evacuate with the national weather service saying florence will likely be the storm of a lifetime for portions of the carolina coast fema and first responders are out there they're going to stand through the danger of this storm. get out of its way don't play games with it it's a big one we want you safe get out of the storm's way listen to your local representatives south carolina north carolina virginia tech in your way it's probably not going to change path it's going to be hitting pretty soon be ready and god be with you and reporting for us on her conference and he can make a he is in wilmington north carolina. so as things stand hurricane florence has now reduced in strength somewhat it's now a category three hurricane sustaining winds of around two hundred kilometers per hour but there are two major concerns that forecasters have here one is the storm surge which is predicted to be anywhere from two meters just above my head to twice that height that would simply swallow all the buildings around as that is one major con

officials with the national weather service in the federal emergency management agency warn residentsrolinas that hurricane florence remains a threat, despite downgrading to category 1. florence made landfall near wrightsville beach, north carolina as a category one storm and is now carrying maximum sustained wind of 80 miles an hour. more than .5 million people in the region are without power and they face at least another day of heavy rain and wind. >> i do want to emphasize that this is only the beginning. florence is a very slow mover and will continue to track along the north carolina and south carolina coastline for the next 24 to 36 hours. it will not get to columbia, south carolina until monday, midnight morning. says iema's jeff meyer hope people blot -- brought flood insurance because you're going to need it for this event. in the philippines, a typhoon has picked up speed as it heads closer to land, more than 5 million people are risk from the storm

tonight, the alarming new report from the national weather service.inds now stretching 70 miles in each direction in the eye of the storm. a category 3. the hurricane track now shifting, sending communities in a panic. and authorities warn this hurricane will hover along the coast for days. meteorologist ginger zee with the new track. and tonight, my interview just moments ago with the hurricane hunters up in the air this evening. what they're seeing right now. >>> on the ground, the race to escape for millions. this is their last chance. >> we are under a mandatory evacuation. please leave now. >> tonight, our t

the national weather service calling this monster the storm of a lifetime. >> disaster is at the doorstep. >> highways are jammed, gas pumps empty and stores where everything is gone and as hospitals rush to evacuate emergency patients, we're with residents who are refusing to leave telling us they have no other choice. do you feel like you're being shamed in your decision to stay? >>> tonight, there is a new state of emergency as the storm track wobbles. where will it make landfall? al roker is here with a brand-new track. >>> tonight, teens and e-cigarettes. the feds calling it an epidemic. >>> a rampage, a driver plowing his suv right through a crowd. >>> another tv titan forced out days after the stunning fall of les moonves at cbs. this time the long time chief at "60 minutes" fired. >>> apple's big reveal, what you'll get for the most expensive iphone yet. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening, everyone from wrightsville beach, north carolina. by early tomorrow, the first tropical storm forced winds will begin kicking up around here ahead of the

the are reports of up to seven tornadoes in the richmond area the national weather service will try to confirm those numbers tomorrow. severaler homes also hit and about os6,000 peoplet power. >> let's begin touight withg kammerer, he's in the storm center. doug, this is all thanks to florence, right? >> absolutely, guys. when we talk about a land fallingcane or tropical system, we do get tornado threat that goes along with that. we saw t the last couple of days in parts of the carolinas, and now that threat has moved into virginia. let's show you what's happening around the area right now. you see the spin here in the atmosphere. this is the remnants of florence. not tight spin like we saw earlier, but a spin down toward the south and west. i'm tracking this area right here. this is a fairly dangerous situation, think, that we've got going on. you notice what's happening along ki-95 and b to the west around the charlottesville area. big-time thunderstorm and they a moving our way. now, some very heavy rain with that, and once again, we still have a flash flood watch inct efntil 4:00 i