Miami, Fla. (970 WFLA)- At 1100 AM EDT, the center of Hurricane Florence was located near latitude 26.7 North, longitude 65.3 West, about 390 miles south of Bermuda, about 905 miles east-southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina.
Florence is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph. A west- northwestward to northwestward motion with a slight increase in forward speed are expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas through Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina in the hurricane watch area Thursday and Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph with higher gusts. Florence is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Florence is expected to begin re- strengthening later today and continue a slow strengthening trend for the next day or so. While some weakening is expected on Thursday, Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane through landfall.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb (28.06 inches).
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for... * Edisto Beach South Carolina to the North Carolina-Virginia border * Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, including the Neuse and Pamlico Rivers
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * Edisto Beach South Carolina to the North Carolina-Virginia border * Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds
Graphic Credit: NHC Miami