Assessment and Weather Forecast over the Area of Interest
(13 Sep 2018 16:25)
TC FLORENCE
- PAST: TC FLORENCE moving west-northwest, strengthening on 30 August - 5 September (becoming Major Hurricane), weakening on 6-8 September (becoming again a Tropical Storm), regaining strength on 9-11 September, becoming again a Major Hurricane, and on 12 September has started slightly weakening again becoming a Category 2, while the size of the wind field has increased.
- CURRENT: On 13 September at 09:00 UTC, its center was located approx. 325 km east-southeast of Wilmington (North Carolina, USA) and 405 km east-southeast of Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, USA), with maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (Category 2 Hurricane).
- FORECAST (as of 13 September, 09:00 UTC TC data): it is forecast to reach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina (possible landfall area: near Wilmington, area of the border between the two states) on 14 September morning (UTC), as a Category 2 Hurricane (max. sustained winds of 160-170 km/h). After the landfall it could move slowly near or over the coast of South Carolina on 15 September, weakening into a Tropical Storm, and inland over eastern and western South Carolina on 16 September, weakening into a Tropical Depression.
- UNCERTAINTY: It is forecast to reach North Carolina or South Carolina, probably the area of Wilmington, on 14 September morning (UTC), but there is still some uncertainty on the area of the landfall: some models provide a possible landfall in the southern areas of North Carolina, other in the northern areas of South Carolina, while most of the models agreed that it will be a strong Category 2 (close to Category 3) Hurricane when it reaches the coast, however small changes in strength might be expected before the center reaches the coast.