MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Tropical Storm Florence continues its extremely slow trek across eastern South Carolina as heavy rains and catastrophic flooding continue across portions of North and South Carolina.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm came ashore around 7:15 a.m. Friday near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane.
At 5:00 p.m., the center of the storm was 60 miles west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was crawling west-southwest at 2 mph with maximum sustained winds decreasing to 45 mph with higher gusts.
A slow westward motion is expected to continue through today. A turn toward the west-northwest and northwest is expected on Sunday. Florence is forecast to turn northward through the Ohio Valley by Monday.
Gradual weakening is forecast while Florence moves farther inland during the next couple of days, and it is expected to weaken to a tropical depression later tonight.
PHOTOS: Hurricane Florence From Space
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for South Santee River South Carolina to Surf City North Carolina.
