even before this storm made landfall at 7:15 near wilmington, we had storm surge and more than 150 water rescues in new bern, north carolina, about a 10-foot storm surge there well before the storm made landfall. then the slow crawl along the north carolina/south carolina coastline. this has been one of the reasons we've had such intense rainfall that is still going on in these areas that started well before the storm made landfall. >> moving forward what concerns you most the next 24, 48 hours? >> rain, rain, rain. flooding, flooding, flooding. a lot more of it. you're going to be surprised who gets involved with this storm as it curves up the u.s. long former, by tuesday and wednesday of next week, we're into northern new england with some of this moisture. the stoert term, those totals are small. they're 1 to 2, 2 to 4 inches in extreme new england. but the big rainfall totals, this is rain yet to come. locally we could have 15 more inches of rain just outside of wilmington. look at what goes on in south carolina. 10 to 15 inches of rain additional there. not unusual to see intense flooding with that kind of number. but

north carolina. i'm george howl. we're awaiting the eye wall of the storm. to track here towards wilmington, north carolina. moving at snails pace. moving six miles per hour. equal to a person walking down the street. as it does that it's dropping a great deal of rain and causing storm surge along the coastline. many hour long events as we continue to stay with you. and bring you the very latest. here's the thing, we're covering the storm right now as it's coming in. after the storm comes through, there will be an assessment of course among rescue personnel. what they need to do to go into the areas where people decided to stay to ride it out. and according to fema here's what we know. they have 1,100 rescue search and rescue personnel in place already. some 300 ambulances already prepositioned. so they're prepared as the storm pushes through to do what's necessary to make sure people are safe to get to the people who need help. also according to the army core of engineers, very important to note they have 105 generators in position. that's important. 15 more

right over wilmington north carolina at the moment and as we zoom out you get a sense of how big the storm is and how big how fun north and how far south it actually extends will be feeling those winds for the north in virginia and in south carolina as well so that's where we're going to go right there into wilmington i have the storm almost north carolina and a gallon how you doing there and a. good come all i mean nothing because we are in the eye of the still not seeing the gusts that we were earlier but the governor of north carolina is saying that this storm has caught him over the worst yet maybe to come because it was two big issues at stake here one is this storm surge predicted to be as much as four meters that would basically small of the first floor of all these buildings here behind me but the other big issue out with hurricane florence is that it's not simply moving inland it's moving extremely slowly and that means you could linger over this area for potentially a forty eight hours bringing with it sixty hours worth of rain that will bring about a meter of rain as well as tha

storm surge will be a major problem on the coastline, and for miles inland. they are talking rain amounts in feet, as they have been. that continues. north carolina's governor 's warning people not to be complacent. >> i know many north carolinians see updated storm tracks, changing categories of the hurricane, and landfall predictions. i am concerned because i have even heard some people say that north carolina is getting a break. please hear my message. we cannot underestimate this storm. >> harris: we have fox team live coverage. jonathan hunt on the ground in myrtle beach, south carolina. we will with chief meteorologist rick from the fox extreme weather center. not getting a break. please heed the warning from the north carolina government. >> i'm glad he said it, that's exactly the message. there's going to be a lot of people impacted for a lot of time. that's really the message here. while that maximum sustained wind has come down now to 105, for it had been a few days ago at 140, the doesn't mean that all of the moisture that is in the storm and the storm surge that has been built up dissipates right away. that takes a number of days for it

north carolina. there's probably not a county or a person that won't be affected in some way by this very massive and violent stormrth carolina, we're pulling together and we're going to get through it, and we're going to recover as well. >> and you know, i think that you're going to wind up finding out that you have friends that you never knew about. not just in this state or in the neighboring states but all across the country. people are watching the storm. we come together in moments like this. it's one of the signature traits of us as a people, and god willing it'll be there again in a moment of need as we start to recover from this event. you say there's been loss of life. we've been reporting it at 5. is there any update on that, governor. >> well, there are three confirmed deaths, but we are investigating other deaths that have occurred to see if they are related to the storm. you mentioned the help that we have gotten. we received personnel and equipment from 23 states across this country. i've talked to numerous governors who have sent help here. first responders who are putting their lives at risk. we'r

remember that members of the military and members of the communities that are affected by this storm, north carolina, south carolina, virginia and georgia are home to installations and the secretary of defense has given authority for life sustaining actions in order to make d.o.d. capabilities immediately available and local commanders are positioning commanders and forces to be ready. national guard units under the authority of their depoffers are ready to respond to the individual and neighboring states' needs. we are closely linked with them through fema and other emergency coordination networks and understand the requirements and how we can contribute to the overall effort. i have been in close communication with each of the state generals who work for the governors and tied to the emergency centers within each state. we are able to anticipate the robust response from title 10 or active duty and title 32, the national guard personnel. the secretary of defense has activated commanders in north carolina, south carolina and virginia to provide command and control over active guard and response forc

you're looking at some video out of wilmington, north carolina, you can see what this storm has done to that gas station. plenty of structural damage around in north carolina. >> there it goes. >> you can watch this one. >> here she goes. >> this is at topsail beach as you can see. this was caught on camera but no doubt there were plenty of scenes like this. sam was saying with a storm like this, they do spawn a lot of different activities and we have a new tornado watch, i believe, sam. >> we have a new tornado watch that's been extended longer. i believe it's into, what, 9:00 p.m. and extends north so raleigh is now in that tornado watch. >> all right, you see the zone right there, those are the areas under a tornado watch. we had a tornado warning a few hours ago in raleigh, north carolina. unclear if anything has touched down. i do believe we have new video coming in to us from reed timmer would works for accuweather from new bern, north carolina. look at the flooding there. >> you can see that water is almost as high as the street signs. >> yeah, you can gauge on that building it

north calina, and western south carolina. that is a huge problem for there. any viance in that that would bring the storm farther north would bring the possibility for severe flooding for us. late thursday night and into fridaywend the end. for now, though, what's left is bringing heavy rain to new york, pennsylvania and headed on up into new england if you're traveling today. pittsburgh, philly, new york or boston, there cou be a lot of slow travel or air travel. it will be along and to the west of i-81 but everyone has a pretty high chance of at least getting some amount of rain today.re future weather. by 3:00 in the afternoon, you might actually get a little peak or two of sunshine today. then overnight tonight, staying on the cloudy side and then for tomorrow, less rain until maybe later on in the afternoon. most oftomorrow's rain chances later on in the so showery weather today and hit and miss for tuesday and t wednesday an we'll have to wait and see thursday and especially friday into the weekend where florence decides to bring the heavy rain. if you have north carolina and the chesapeake bay sta

carolinas. this is called a monster hurricane. >> steve is monitoring the storm. first, let's go to lot in northina in wilmington. lauren? >> reporter: good morning. people are boarding up homes and jumping in cars and getting out of town ahead of the catastrophic hurricane florence. >> this has all the numbers in the recipe for a storm that could do some damage. >> reporter: 5.4 million people are under >>> as hurricane florence

the storm surge has inundated morning and is raging ashore in north carolina: the storm surge has inundated coastal streets this is kpix news. hurricane florence made landfall and raging ashore in north carolina. the storm surge has inundated coastal streets and left hundreds of thousands without power. i'm michelle obama. >> i'm emily turner. you are looking at myrtle beach, south carolina. you can hardly see out of the camera because of the rain on the lens. mare mare is tracking the -- mary is tracking the story. >>> a category 1 hurricane. let's get to the radar. you can see hurricane florence riding the carolina coast. when it made landfall at 4:15 a.m. our time, winds were clocking in 105 miles per hour. now, from hatteras, wilmington and myrtle beach, tropical storm forced winds currently. we have been talking about this storm as the storm of a lifetime and here is the reason why. it is a slow moving storm, westerly at 5 miles per hour. it will continue to stay close to the coast. that's close to the energy source, the warm waters of the atlantic and that manes dumping a torrential a

exactly are they going to restore power to the hundreds of thousands of people in north carolina who lost power during the storm thanks very much for the north carolina stay safe. rather in the philippines typhoon has caused major destruction after making landfall in the north of the country at least a tribe of people reported killed strong winds and torrential rains have caused. floods and dozens of landslides just to give you an idea of the storm this that you're seeing. baggio city in the northern part of loose on the main island in the philippines the government had warned. could cause flash flooding but this shows the massive amounts of water that has hit a penny of these mountain communities. is a popular tourist destination for many well to do filipinos but it's also home to many of the country's indigenous people who often live in more improvised homes and it's likely that neighborhoods will be especially hard hit by the violent flooding . but it's not just the water that's posed a danger from. wind has also taken its toll have a listen to this now. that's the sound of two hundred kilometer ripping acro

north carolina needs to stay alert. and continue to take this storm seriously. you can download the ready nc app or follow north carolina emergency management on facebook and twitter. there you can get updates and learn how you can weather the storm. i want to thank everyone across our state who is working to get us ready for this storm. and i want to introduce to you part of our team that is leading those efforts. we have mike sprayberry, our director of emergency management. dr. mandy cohen, the secretary of health and human services. colonel glen mcneill, who is the commander of the north carolina highway patrol. we have general jim interrogatotrogden, our secretary of the darment of transportation. alby lewis who is with fema. >> we have been listening to the governor ofner north carolina w was very clear. my message today, don't relax, don't get complacent. stay on guard. this is a powerful storm that can kill, and today the threat becomes a reality. saying make no mistake. we are on the wrong side of this. john berman is in oak island, north carolina. those

storm florence. i'm george howell in wilmington, north carolina. this storm has weakened from a full-blown hurricane to a very strong, still very powerful. you can see from the radar loop, it is a big blob. and it's moving in. but at a snail's pace. the storm also has proven to be a deadly storm. we know at least fife people across the region have been killed. also, a million customers without electricity. the recovery is going to be a slow, long process, an expensive process as well. first responders have identified hundreds of people in need of rescue from the rising water, and we know that some 20,000 people are staying in shelters here in the state of north carolina alone. florence is not a hurricane anymore, though it is still incredibly dangerous for people here in the carolinas. my colleague nick watt has been following the storm from north myrtle beach, south carolina and explains why it's such a serious threat there. >> we are on what is known as the grand strand, a 60-mile stretch of beach in the carolinas that is normally sun-kissed and w

hurricane hugo struck knnorth o charleston, south carolina as a category 4 storm. let's talk to northngressman david price. congressman, thank you for joining us. it how prepared will your state be to deal with this monster storm? >> all hands are on deck and i'm very heartened by the level of preparation that we see from fema, right through our governor, our state emergency preparedness office to the counties that the governor has deployed 2,500 national guard troops to various points to facilitate operations and we have of course been in touch with brock long, our fema at minute strait fo administrator, and we're anticipating a big hit and a lot of water. you know there's going to be some dislocation and discomfort, but we really do seem to have all hands on deck to prepare for this as best as we possibly can. >> as you know, congressman, the latest forecast indicates that the storm may take a turn to the south as it makes landfall. are you concerned that people in north carolina may be letting their guard down as it moves towards south carolina. >> i would hope not, there's no reas

you could take this storm and place it over the states of north carolina and south carolina and the storm would cover the entirety of both. here in north carolina we're getting numbers in power outages. half a million in 14 different counties have lost electricity. we know the shelters are open. more than 150 in the eastern part of the state. about 20,000 people now seeking refuge inside of those shelters. the numbers are extraordinary and they will only climb as we move throughout the day and feel the full brunt of the storm. in the small area in wilmington there is extensive damage here already. a lot of trees down, the roofs ripped off a local hotel and elsewhere. the mayor was describing some of the damage throughout the city a short time ago. you know think about the 180 to 200 mile stretch for what could emerge when florence moves through entirely. >> sandra: bill, thank you. the rescue efforts will be key, of course, with the eye of the storm onshore. volunteer rescue groups are organizing. one group looking to send 200 boats to south carolina. todd joins us now. thank you for your

soaking the north carolina coastline as it slowly crawls to shore. the center of the storms expected to linger over the coast of north and south carolina for another day, bringing life-threatening storm surge, dangerous winds and torrential rains, endangering the many residents who stayed behind. >> hurricane florence is powerful, slow and relentless. it is an uninvited brute who doesn't want to leave. >> trestle is almost under water. >> reporter: in new bern, north carolina 150 residents were trapped overnight while awaiting rescue. >> it got real -- it gol real heavy real fast. >> reporter: the storm surge reaching ten feet in that area. >> the water on the wall, you can see how high up the water was by the dirt. >> reporter: in nearby river bend, volunteers from river bend dispatched a team to assist in rescues. >> we decided to go out last night just to scope the area out, see where we were going today, and ended up getting several calls last night. hundreds of calls for service last night. we rescued a couple of people that were posting on facebook their addresses and

storm. dangerous winds ripping a canopy off of a gas station in tropical beach, north carolina, north of wilmingtoncoast. this is unusual with a man hoeding a american flag in the middle of a storm. kristina partsineveloss on the ground in myrtle beach, south carolina. kristina, what is going on with that one? reporter: you have mentioned it was downgraded to a tropical storm. i've been out since what, 5:30 this morning. i have not seen the wind this strong in this area. we're in myrtle beach, not north myrtle beach. the wind, you can see the winds are definitely picking up. we're definitely by tore morning around 10 a.m., the water will enter in, well past those sand dunes. so you won't even see it. overall with this entire state, you're seeing about 75% of the population that has evacuated. but i've spoken to a lot of people that have decided to stay put. i know that you spoke about the first-responders and why people are still staying put. seems like the vast majority of those that are here believe they can overcome it because they have lived their entire life here. they had their house flood be

north carolina. there's probably not a county or person that won't be affected in some way by the massive and violent storme pulling together and we'll get through it. and we'll recover. >> you'll wind up finding out you have friend that you never knew about. not just in the state. or in the neighboring state. but all across the country. people are watching the storm. we come together in moments like this. social securi it's is signature trait of people. as we recover from this empbt. there's been loss of life. we have been reporting five. is there an update? >> they are three confirmed deaths. we are investigating other deaths that have occurred. to see if they are related to the storm. you mention the help that we have gotten. we have received personnel and equipment from 23 states across the country. i have talked to numerous governors who have sent help here. first responders who are putting their lives at risk. we're all americans when something like this happens. i am very grateful for our local, state and federal partners and the volunteers. the faith based groups. and particularly people who have c

north carolina. southern carolina may indeed have dodged a bullet. the storm surge that had been talked about doesn't look now as though it will happen. the reason for that, shep, we ended up at the bottom end of the hurricane storm as you look at it on a map. that meant the wins for the time they are coming through here at their height were pushing off shore, in other words going from land onto the ocean and literally pushing the ocean back. so that prevents a storm surge. we did get minor damage from the wind gusts that we had here. we've seen a bunch of trees down in the area, caught a little bit of damage on a couple of homes that you see along the beachfront here, but no major damage whatsoever. coastal south carolina is one thing. inland south carolina could yet be another. this rain that we see coming down still very hard here is predicted to last for at least another 24, perhaps 36, even 48 hours, shep. as you go inland, that's where the storm is moving across inland south carolina. remember, all of those rivers that have seen these well in north carol

as tropical storm florence batters the states of north and south carolina the national hurricane center says the storm is moving west at just over three kilometers per hour but it's dumping dangerous amounts of rain authorities warn of catastrophic flooding and say up to two point five million people could be left without power. florence's fast. they were killed when this tree crashed their home in the coastal city of wilmington north carolina a neighbor described terrifying scenes as the storm bordine. very dark. and the wind being high like it is now higher then so all you could see was water and it was very low. so. here we figure out what's going on out there. further up the coast in new bern a huge storm surge left hundreds of residents trapped as the waters rose around them. rescue crews used boats and military vehicles to get the night. i never met so terrified of my life. it was horrifying. just wondering what's going on there and where the water's going to go and how i got to go and how we're going to get out and we're going to get trapped in the attic and. hundreds of thousand

storm of a lifetime for the carolina coast. >> and overnight the storm's track shifted putting landfall closer to wilmington, north carolina. nearly 2 million people have been told to get out. >> the big concern is what happens after landfall. the category 4 storm is expected to stall, dumping up to three feet of rain triggering catastrophic floods. abc's emily rau begins our coverage in wrightsville beach, north carolina. emily, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, stephanie and kendis. florence is headed this way and changing in the process but one thing that is still the same, the 140-mile-per-hour winds making her a category 4 hurricane. this morning, millions of people are clearing the path of hurricane florence. >> we have to leave. >> we don't have a choice. >> it gets really scary out here in storms. >> reporter: westbound highway traffic at a crawl as more mandatory evacuations take effect. and overnight, florence shifting her path putting landfall closer to wilmington later into friday and setting up a devastating storm surge potential that could be catastrophic. national weather service officials warning, quot

within the last hour there was a report of a 10 foot storm surge already in cherry branch, north carolinaurge in new bern, north carolina. you can see how high the water is compared to those trees and street signs. so the next few hours is going to be critical. landfall should be overnight or early tomorrow. and then it should park itself over the carolinas and just wreak havoc in terms of rain and flooding and storm surge. upwards to 100,000 people in the storm surge have already lost power. and this came out a short time ago, a tornado watch across the storm zone in north carolina on top of the hurricane. so we're going to be watching all of this very closely. msnbc is going to have continuing coverage of hurricane florence throughout the night. brian williams will begin our overnight coverage at midnight eastern. now it's time for "last word" with lawrence o'donnell. >>> we're going to continue the hurricane coverage but also fit in the dramatic news about paul manafort possibly reaching a plea bargain deal, which we may or may not discover is tomorrow's news. and then that kind of stu

north carolina. he says he's staying put for the storm. but folks that don't evacuate are on their own. with florence threatening not just north carolina and virginia and south carolina but also governor, we'll hear from a meteorologist there about what he's watching for for the millions and millions of people across the patchy state. atlanta out of the mix? ain't no way. stay with us. have served in my time during the vietnam era, would be eligible today for a va home loan, so many do not know that. there's no expiration date on your eligibility for the va home loan. every veteran, every service member out there if you're thinking about buying a home, if you're thinking about a cash out refi, whatever you're thinking with a mortgage, you should come to newday usa first. call 1-877-776-3063. if you're a veteran, own a home and need money for your family, call newday usa to use your valuable va home loan benefit. thank you, admiral. it lets you borrow up to 100% of your home's value. thank you, admiral. with today's rising home values, that could mean more money for you and your family. t

north carolina. that's the eye of the storm now just c sing onre below top sail beach, north carolina. winds are gusting to 84 miles per hour right now in wilmington, north carolina. the latest on florence and your weeken >> plus, new video showing us the scary effects of hurricane florence before it even made landfall. look at that. gas station crumbled during overnight winds. >> now florence has made landfall. this is a live look at jacksonville, north carolina. you can see all the rain. we're going to check in live with jim handly in the outer get to the ross fall fashion event... ...and get the brands you want... check this out. ...at "oh, yeah" prices. from the latest trends to your favorite brands, it feels even better when you find them for less. at the ross fall fashion event. yes for less. you know when you're at ross and you ...for how much?.. yes. that's yes for less. fall's best accessories are even better when you find them for less. at ross. yes for less. >>> 6:29 is your time right now. take a live look at hurricane florence as we follow the track of the storm. the eye n

do not go out in this storm. >> reporter: but some north carolina residents did not heed the warning. >> i don't think it's really as bad as they think. hazel in 1954 was worse than this. >> reporter: here in wilmington, north carolina, storm surge is coming over roads and pushing into homes. some of those homes are still occupied. barbara diaz came to check on her home. what are your thoughts after seeing this? >> i'm a little worried maybe at least the garage area. i think we'll be okay. it's three stories. i think we'll be okay up in the living area, but it looks like probably we're going to be having a lot of dock damage and probably water in our garages. >> reporter: the storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and that number is expected to rise. about 20,000 people are in shelters in north carolina. for those that chose to stay in their homes during the storm, they're asked to stay put. in wilmington, north carolina, courtney zubowski, kpix5. >>> today cal oes deployed a bay area skilled team of emergency specialists to aid in the ongoing response to hurric

that well i'm telling you everyone was so panicked here i am in raleigh north carolina i'm about one hundred miles from where the storm made landfall on the coast of north carolina but originally the storm track had it coming here after it made landfall and everywhere around here sold out of the water everybody bought all the food off the shelves every one was really panicked so when as a last minute it was downgraded and a little weaker than we originally thought and then at the turn into south carolina everyone around here it was relief however we are still under a flash flood warnings and are looking at this and it's three river flooding in this area then closer to the coast there are areas that have seen up to ten foot storm surge and of course that's coming up over people's homes and really causing of easy destruction don't only that once the storm surge the sea it's all the rain that falls here and runs downstream will continue to flood those areas so it's a it's a really rough situation for especially closer to the coast and elizabeth what are you most concerned about now as we move into friday night and friday

in short, every county and every person in north carolina needs to stay alert and to take this storm ay i ordered a state evacuation of north carolina's barrier islands from the virginia border to the south carolina line. thanks to our local partners many evacuation orders are in place for other areas. i urge residents to heed those orders. for those not under evacuation orders, gather your emergency supplies if you haven't already, food, water, flashlights, extra batteries, medications, important documents if you need to evacuate. remember to make plans for your pets. and clear your yard of debris that can cause damage in high winds. finally, download the ready nc app for updates and to learn the weather about the storm. call 211 for information or to connect you with local resources. i want to thank everyone across our state helping us get ready for this storm. and i want to introduce part of north carolina's team here to provide input for you. to my far right is the director of emergency management. next is colonel glenn mcneil the commander of the state highway patrol. behind me i

north carolina. let's get to sandhya patel. >> florence is hours from landfall. outer bands of raynhamering the north carolina coastline. ten-foot stormn reported in new bern, north carolina. wind gusts between 80 to 100 miles an hour. tornado watch boxes up until 7:00 a.m. tomorrow as the hurricane interacts with land. could see some tornadoes. it is weaker, category 1. packs winds of 90 miles per hour. but it is sprawling west-northwest at 6 miles per hour. landfall tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m., and then it weakens to a tropical storm, making that sharp right-hand turn towards the northeast as we head into the weekend. rainfall could be isolated in areas, up to 40 inches through monday. storm surge up to 11 feet. we've already seen that storm surge of ten feet. and look at this. atlantic beach, almost 13 inches of rain and counting. dan? >> okay, sandhya, thanks very much. >>> now, medical teams air force base are ready to go. carlos salcedo shows you the life-saving techniques that these remarkable men and women are ready to perform. >> inside travis air force base, military aircraft like the c-17 are ready to transport critical c

north carolina alone. mola lenghi is in wilmington, north carolina. >> reporter: florence wasted no time attacking the carolinas. thirst outer bands of the slow-moving storm quickly brought a surge of water inland. the rushing water toppled a cameraman in topsail beach in north carolina and then made quick work of the garage. the storm's powerful winds toppled this gas station canopy. florence has already knocked out power to thousands throughout the region. >> our power just went out instantly. we weren't expecting it. it was way too early. we were trying to charge our things for the storm to come and it already went out. >> reporter: officials say millions of people may be left without electricity and it could be weeks before it's all fully restored. but it's the flooding that's expected to reek havoc over the next few days. >> surviving this storm will be a test of endurance, team work, common sense, and patience. >> more than 1.5 million people mr. wondering what will be left when they return. >> we're concerned. we don't know what we're going to go back to, you know what i mean? >> in south carolina, eddie garoppolo decided to ride out the storm. >>

north carolina. pete: that's right. life-threatening stormflooding communities trapping and forcing undreads of people at this moment in their homes. steve: hundreds of thousands of transformers exploding many don't have power. ainsley: jonathan serrie and griff jenkins on the north carolina border. steve: janice dean is in the weather center. we start with griff just out of the outer bank in

storm. lauren: oh so water rescues are going on for people who did not evacuate? >> that's correct. in newborn, north carolinaou heard from jeff, he's south of storm, but north they've had the on shore flow for hours and hours and it's been piling the water, the storm surge up into the bay and now you've got the folks in newborn north carolina that are being rescued, lots of people stranded there. lauren: whenever florence finally hits and we deal with with -- you can go back to home in instances, how is that going to work, what should they watch out for? >> well, local officials are going to tell you when you're able to return to the specific areas but for folks who are going through it right now it's such a slow-moving storm, only 5-mile an hour to the west we will see prolonged period of the hurricane-forced winds and wind gusts still 90 miles an hour in several locations and it's going to be days and days before we see power restored to many of these areas and before the water is able to recede, so this will be a prolonged event. we are also seeing locations where they've had to cut the water service so w

carolina coast. hello, everyone. i'm dana perino. this is "the daily briefing." florence now a category two storm and authorities warning millions of americans, this is a very dangerous storm. north carolina's governor driving that point home earlier today. >> my message today, don't relax. don't get complacent. stay on guard. this is a powerful storm that can kill. today the threat becomes a reality. >> we have live fox team coverage. leland vittert and jonathan hunt are in the hurricane path, first, we go to rick reichmuth. >> the storm is slowing down in its progression. that's why we think the rainfall totals are so extreme. you get the idea that it's a large storm. ly tell you, even though it's weakened, it still looks organized and has moisture all around the storm on all quadrants. that means it's well-organized and a lot of moisture moving on shore. we always have tornado concerns. you can see the red box there. that's a tornado watch. i expect to see them going through sunday because of the rotation from the storm causes a little spin-up of smaller tornadoes. not the oklahoma city kind of tornadoes, smaller ones. we'll see a lot of power outage. this takes us through sat

storm of a lifetime. and here's the governor of north carolina, what he told me last night. >> north carolina, we're used storms, nor'easters, we've had hurricanes before. but this is historic. this storm is big, and it's vicious. we're telling the people of north carolina, do not try to ride out a monster. >> and yet you are riding out the monster, mayor. are you scared? >> i'm part of the recovery team, kate. i'm very conscious of the winds. i'm conscious of the storm surge. i'm conscious of the potential flooding after the fact. so i'm not neglecting these concerns. i'm mitigating in every way that i possibly can. >> and in no way do you think that they're blowing this out of proportion, what you're hearing from roy cooper or from federal officials. >> not at all. i think they are spot on. i think this is a massive storm, both in area and in energy, so no, i think they are spot on in their message. >> mayor, i'm sure residents in your town appreciate what you're doing. we always appreciate what first responders do. please be safe. thank you so much. we'll check back in with you. >> thank you. >>> "out

those of you in central north carolina should be prepared to feel the impact of the storm from thursday night through the weekend due to the sustained rainfall and persistent wind. in western north carolina, residents should be prepared for heavy rain. as we remember earlier this year, that can trigger mudslides and road closings. in short, every county and every person in north carolina needs to stay alert and to take the storm seriously. yesterday, i ordered a state evacuation of north carolina's barrier islands from the virginia border to the south carolina line. thanks to our local partners, many evacuation orders are in place for other areas. i urge residents to heed those orders. for those not under evacuation orders, gather your emergency supplies, if you haven't already, food, water, flashlights, extra batteries, medications, important documents, if you need to evacuate. remember to make plans for your pets. clear your yard of debris that can cause damage and high winds. finally, download the ready nc app for updates and learn the weather about the storm and call 211 for informa

carolina coast. the center of the storm made landfall this morning in wrightsville beach north carolina.packing sustained winds of 80 miles an hour and it's expected to dump eight months worth of rain in the next two or three days. >> a lot of water, john. the national carolina -- carolina national guard his just deployed 9,700 troops and civilians. they'll be using hospitals and vehicles and boats to get around. jeff is leading our coverage. he's in wilmington north carolina with the late tleft. so far it looks a little calmer today than when we saw you the last half hour. >> reporter: you hit it right on before and that is you said the conditions are different every half hour. that's exactly the way it's been. this storm just keeps changing as these hurricane dos. one thing that has been consistent since 1:00 this morning, we have not experienced a single hour without at least tropical storm force winds. that is 39 miles or above. that is expected to continue until tomorrow at least. that is how long florence is lasting for here in north carolina. we're in new head county, 120,000. abo

roy cooper, north carolina: this storm is relentless, and excruciating and very slow. moving slowly, but flood waters are rising fast.the storm is crawling over parts of the carolinas. relentlessly dumping large amounts of water. voice of skippy winner, stayed in carolina beach, nc: lot of rain, lot of wind, and a lot of leaves.all that water plus dangerous winds and powerful storm surge are turning some towns into rushing rivers. hundreds of people trapped in their homes and had to be rescued, along with their pets. voice of lieutenant mitchell ruslander, swift water rescue: we were out all night last night actually cutting holes in people's roofs trying to remove them because the water levels rose so high so quick.crews from several states, some as far away as california have arrived in the carolinas to assist in those water rescues. captain dave lauchner, sacramento water rescue:it took us 51 hours to get here.//we're ready for anything that comes our way meanwhile rain and storm surges are pushing water inland and not allowing rivers to drain. and as florence contin

heather: live look at carolina beach, north carolina getting slammed by hurricane florence. the category one stormht off the coast with winds of 90 miles an hour. parts of belhaven, north carolina already underwater, terrifying video showing waves creeping onto the side of his home and you can see boats in raleigh, north carolina crashing into a nearby bridge as water levels continue to rise at record levels. millions of americans in the crosshairs of life-threatening storm surges and storm chaser stephen jones is a carolina native. he once toured all the chaos when most of us were running away. he joins us in north carolina with fellow storm chaser aaron bigsby, we appreciate it. >> good morning, good morning. >> where are you located right now? you are chasing the storm so you are moving. >> we are located in wrightsville, north carolina. we are getting the strongest winds in the inner core of this hurricane and we have seen the entire night sky lit up by power flashes, debris came flying past us from signs, we have seen multiple trees come down and we have seen minor damage to homes and we fear

storm. in north carolina, talking to you throughout the night and early morning about the storm and how it came on shore. you got hit yesterday in the rain bands keep coming. >> because the storm system is moving so incredibly slowly, we knew this would be the case and yet we were amazed we woke up and saw that it was still raining and looked at our radar apps and saw that we were in a theater band of this now downgraded tropical storm even though it is no longer packing hurricane force winds, florence poses a serious threat because of the seemingly incessant rains that will follow over not only the coastal areas but eventually inland areas of north and south carolina, increasing potential for flash flooding throughout the region. >> it has got to weigh on people emotionally. you said your self you covered hurricanes for years and years, you almost expect it to go away as quickly as it comes in, these storms, to say i got through it. but that weighs on people emotionally i would think after a day or two or three. >> reporter: absolutely. the best thing, a fast-moving hurricane as far as attenti

north carolina governs today dangerous than it is right now. a total of 17 storm related hsh 11epin north carolina and six in south carolina. more than 700 people in bogue states are without power. most of those power outages are in north carolina. >> ache in the rain here in jacksonville but the worse may be to come as record levels are approaching on the new river. officials tell us the record level is 25.1 feet. the flood stage level is 14 feet. currently the river is at 23.77. very troubling for the residents here in jacksonville. we are standing in the parking lot of a land mark restaurant. the marina cafe. you can see it is under water. out back, the docks under 10 to 15 feet of flooding which could take months to repair and also here the operations of recovery beings halted till they get a break in the rain and the receding of this water which isn't expected for some time. the airport also under water here in jacksonville. one of the many communities as hurricane florence continues to wreak her havoc. in north carolina, fox news. >> the torrential rain brou

the dangerous category 4 storm churning closer at this hour. and the government of north carolina putting it in these stark terms. >> this storm is big, and it's vicious. people of north carolina are used to storms. but this one is different. >> we got the best team in the business deployed throughout the region covering every angle of this breaking story. first, let's get you caught up on what is happening now. a potentially life threatening storm surge is now likely along portions of the carolina coastlines. at the first outer rain bands from florence, could start being felt along parts of the coast as early as tonight. nearly 5.5 million people are under hurricane warnings or watches at this moment. all told, 1.5 million people have been ordered to evacuate along the coast as the storm approaches. >> i'm just stressed out to the max, thinking, am i going to have a home to come back to? >> god spare us, spare myrtle beach, spare everybody who's in line with this. because this looks like it's going to be the worst one that i've ever gone through. >> i've lived here my whole life,

north carolina. this is what they're going to ce fa 13-foot storm surges. aste deep water. 750,000 people without power in north carolina alone. that's what these folks are o going down there to help with. they'll be sending 11 folks and equipment to take care of whatever they can to help out the local crews and other crews from oth areas that he headed down to north carolina. of course, the departments in this immediate area have amu al assistance agreement. itex tends farther than our local areas when l stormse this hit. we hope later to be able to talk to some of the folksn headed d and find out what they expect and what they learned from these sort of tours and what they will do once they get there. again, they'll be leaving here at about 10:00. they'll be driving down. it's going to be a long road ahead. there will be folks to tak care of waldorf. they're sending 11 people and enme equi it will be much needed and i m suh appreciated when they get down there. we're live in waldorf. back to you. >> the death toll is rising to 7, and ty're especially neede

. >>> but the heavy rains from, to storm florence are pounding north carolina, that's where storm surge warnings and flash flood warnings remain in effect. the death toll is rising, the number of power outages inching in the region of close to 1 million now. in new bern, north carolina, 385 people rescued from their homes. this deadly storm has taken the lives of five people so far. >> the storm has claimed numerous lives already. five deaths have been confirmed as related to the storm. and several others are under investigation. >> we have a lot to get to with a number of nbc carolincarolina. in jacksonville, north carolina, nbc correspondent joe fryer, with whom we spoke at the beginning of the last hour, joe, i want to get to the story about that couple or family leaving with their pets. first of all, the governor of north carolina has said the floodwaters are rising in places that don't usually get affected like this. are you seeing evidence of that? >> reporter: that's exactly what we're seeing here. now, where i'm standing right now, this is a street that's flooded a little bit be

north carolina coast. we have full team coverage of the storm as "worldwide exchange" begins right now ♪ >>> good morning welcomerom wherever in the world that you may be watching i'm brian sullivan, you're looking live over our shoulder here at wilmington, north carolina where hurricane-force winds are picking up winds reportedly as much as 100 miles per hour and over a foot and a half of rain has fallen in some areas the good news is florence has been downgraded to a category 1, but the threat is far from over asrain and the projected storm surge have hundreds of miles on the coastline on edge. our team is fanned out along the carolina coach we have jackie deangelis, done te contessa brewer also standing by, but let's get the latest on the path >> hurricane florence is a category 1 with wins winds at 9 miles per hour those winds are slamming wilmington that heavy rain has been continuing overnight and once florence moves onshore the eyewall will make landfall but the majority of the storm will stay over the atlantic helping to fuel it it will remain a category 1 storm upon landfall for at least 24 hours this m

north carolina. even in her weakened state florence packs a punch the hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical storm but it hit the coast of north carolina with strong winds driving rain and a swelling surf weather experts warn there's much more to come i do want to emphasize that this is only the beginning florence is a very slow mover we'll continue to track along this north carolina and south carolina coastline for the next twenty four to thirty six hours. the storm is slowly moving inland floodwaters have begun submerging roads and seeping into homes with up to seventy five centimeters of rain expected in some areas a storm surge on the news river north of the eye of the storm brought the most serious flooding so far emergency crews have been called to rescue hundreds who ignored evacuation orders utility workers have come from all over the country to help these are just a few of the trucks that are standing by the utility company has more and that millions of people could lose power so far the number is in the hundreds of thousands the storm is far from over. further inland boarded up buildings

in short, every county and every person in north carolina needs to stay alert and to take this storm seriously. yesterday, i ordered a stat evacuation of north carolina's barrier islands from the virginia border to the south carolina line. thanks to our local partners, many evacuation orders are in place for other areas. i urge residents to heed those orders. for those not under evacuation orders, gather your emergency supplies if you haven't already, food, water, flashlights, extra batteries, medications, important documents if you need to evacuate. remember to make plans for your pets. and clear your yard of debris that can cause damage in high winds. finally, download the ready nc app for updates and to learn the weather about the storm. call 211 for information or to connect you with local resources. i want to thank everyone across our state helping us get ready for this storm. i want to introduce part of north carolina's team here to provide input for you. to my far right is director of emergency management. next is colonel glen mcneil, the commander of the state highway patrol.

storm team 4 weather alert. >> hurricane florence just getting started. take a look at surf ty, north carolina. boy, the wind there is whipping. but it's the water that's the biggest danger. >> the eye of the storm churning out over the atlantic right now as we look live atgt wilm, north carolina. landfall still hours away, a thateans hours more rain. storm surge andlife hf-threateng flooding. >> look at the conditions in topsail beach. look at all that water. that is just amazing. it even knocks down this see that? and it'surging even further inland from here. storm surge being measured up to ten feet in some places tonight. good evening, everyone, i'm leon harris. >> and i'm doreen gentzler. we just got thet new hurricane track. our chief meteorologist doug kammerer will break itown for us in a moment. >> but first, let's start off with jim handly live for us in nags h jim, set the stage for us. >> reporter: guys, timing is everything. we've got high tide rolling in in justbout seven minutes. we are feeling wind gusts right here of about 75 miles an hour so far. we have seen tornado warnings,l

north of where i am located. that has seen the worst storm surge from the river. there are so many other waterways like that which line the coast of north carolina and down in south carolina. that is why this storm is of concern and the storm surge is of concern. let's go back to chad myers in the weather center. chad, that is sobering to hear from the first responders. to hear from the emergency management in that town where there are people trapped and in need. you know, i told you so. this is not about i told you so. they were warned and there were mandatory evacuations. this is why the mandatory evacuations were in place. >> i know we don't have pictures. but make this a mental picture. wind blowing for those rescuers right now gusted to 55 miles per hour. you are in a 12-foot blow-up zodiac trying to save people and your watercraft is at harm at 55 miles per hour. that is what the crews are going through. we say don't put the rescuers at danger and people still do. there is new bern. this is a three-hour loop. the we are coater coming up her. overnight, east side of the storm is the wettest. that is rotating up to new bern. the water which