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FEMA said ambulances, medical helicopters, and other emergency response vehicles from across the country are being staged at the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport ahead of Hurricane Florence. More than 200 ambulances and 11 medical helicopters and the crews that man them are setting up on the airport’s runway, waiting to respond when Florence begins to take its toll on South Carolina. The emergency responders will be dispatched from the Spartanburg airport when needed.

Hurricane Florence was downgraded to a Category 1 storm late Thursday night, as it approached shore — but officials warned it was still very dangerous.

CNN’s John Avlon agrees with The Washington Post that Trump is “complicit” in the storm. •Why? Because he’s not a global warming alarmist and opposes Obama-era climate policies. •One climate scientist touted the “irony” of a storm coming while Trump is deregulating. President Donald Trump’s critics are not only trying to implicate him in the potentially catastrophic damage of Hurricane Florence, but some seem to be touting the “irony” of a storm coming amid the administration’s deregulatory efforts. CNN political analyst John Avlon agreed with The Washington Post’s editorial board that Trump was “complicit” in the hurricane headed for the...

Today’s Campaign Update (Because The Campaign Never Ends) The award for the absolute dumbest and most dishonest Florence-related tweet of the day goes to… – Check out this little gem from the editorial board at the Houston Chronicle: Chronicle Opinion @ChronOpinion Is Hurricane Florence our fault for emitting climate-changing greenhouse gases, or perhaps policy makers’ fault for allowing us to do so?http://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Climate-change-hurricanes-and-the-hazards-of-13221381.php?t=636cc15df7 … 4:00 PM - Sep 12, 2018 Climate change, hurricanes and the hazards of connecting dots [Opinion] Is Hurricane Florence our fault for emitting climate-changing greenhouse gases, or perhaps policy makers’ fault for allowing us to do so?...

Hurricane Florence has been downgraded to a Category 2 storm but it is still considered an extremely dangerous and life-threatening storm. As of 11 p.m., the storm was centered 280 miles east southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, and was moving northwest at 17 mph. Its maximum sustained winds have dropped slightly to 110 mph.

A volunteer organization called America’s Cajun Navy says it's sending more than 1,000 people to North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia ahead of Hurricane Florence. “We are a search and rescue organization,” president John Billiot told Fox News, adding that they also have a K-9 team to “look for your loved ones.” Billiot says America’s Cajun Navy is sending “maybe 1200 to 1300” people to the Carolinas and Virginia and “800, almost 900 boats” which come from across the U.S.

The editorial board of the Washington Post has declared that President Trump is “complicit” for Hurricane Florence because of his views on climate change. The massive storm has not made landfall yet, but the Post published a column on Wednesday headlined, “Another hurricane is about to batter our coast. Trump is complicit.” The piece also notes that Trump has given “good advice” when issuing hurricane warnings via his Twitter feed before it launched an attack on the president. “When it comes to extreme weather, Mr. Trump is complicit. He plays down humans’ role in increasing the risks, and he continues...

MSNBC spoke to a North Carolina resident on Wednesday who said that she was not obeying a mandatory hurricane evacuation because there is “strength in numbers.” Just hours before Hurricane Florence is set to strike the Carolinas, MSNBC’s Kerry Sanders spoke to a woman named Katie who lives in Carolina Beach, North Carolina with her three children. Katie explained that she was refusing to evacuate and instead was planning to “just try to stay safe during the hurricane.” “I think we are going to do everything normally,” she said. “Why the decision to stay and not fall back further...

The National Hurricane Center has been issuing advisories for Hurricane Florence since August 30. The five day "Cone of Uncertainty" archive progression since Aug. 30 may be found here. As the super-size storm named Florence approached the U.S. Atlantic Coast, stories abound of people who are refusing to evacuate barrier islands. The 82nd Airborne has relocated all of its assets, while FEMA is using Fort Bragg as a major staging area for post-storm supplies, including meals, water and cots. Fort Jackson (Columbia SC) has cancelled events including basic training graduation to prepare for military and civilian evacuees from coastal locations....

Waffle House is stepping into action ahead of Hurricane Florence. Just as in previous storms and severe weather, the restaurant chain typically remains open. The latest hurricane is no different. “The ⁦@WaffleHouse⁩ Storm Center is activated and monitoring #Florence,” the restaurant tweeted Monday. “Plan ahead and be safe.” And the WaHo Storm Center is real, according to Waffle House. The photo was taken at the Norcross, Georgia, -based chain’s corporate office.

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- It was a chaotic scene at the Walmart on Glenn School Road in Durham as people scrambled to get water and other supplies. An ABC11 Eyewitness recorded the video as people pushed, shoved, tugged in efforts to get their cases of bottle water and other supplies and Walmart workers and security tried to keep order.

When you watch the news about these storms, they always hype it up such that you'd think everyone in the hemisphere has five minutes to live. I don't want to minimize the severity of the storm, but I like to have a better perspective on how bad it actually is. To accomplish this, I avoid the news and use the snapchat app. After opening the app, you can "squeeze" the screen by putting two fingers near opposing edges of the screen and pull them together to make a map appear. (Sometimes I get a search screen instead, so I close...

For many vacationers on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a trip there is not complete without at least catching a glimpse of the majestic wild horses that roam the islands. As Hurricane Florence approaches, many are expressing concern about how the horses will fare during the powerful Category 4 storm. The Facebook page of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund was peppered with comments from worried tourists and residents. “Thinking of all of the horses as Florence approaches. ... Praying for their safety,” wrote one concerned woman. “Prayers for protection from the storm for these beautiful animals & the young foals,” wrote...

Airforce Hurricane made it's pass this morning and the NHC has updated it's forecast. Regardless of technical terminology, someone really needs to work on their sentence structure, LOL. Looks like it's not strengthening all that much and will spin down quick once making landfall. Hurricane Florence Discussion Number 49 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL062018 1100 AM AST Tue Sep 11 2018 Data from satellites and an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft mission indicate that Florence has completed an overnight eyewall replacement cycle (ERC). The recon data indicate that the eye has now expanded to a diameter of 30-32...

Florence regained hurricane strength Sunday and is expected to "rapidly intensify" into a major storm in the next few days as it continues its path toward the East Coast where residents are preparing for the worst. Florence could hit the southeastern U.S. coast late this week as a Category 3 or higher and bring upon life-threatening impacts. The hurricane is expected to make landfall between late Thursday and Friday morning. "There is an increasing risk of two life-threatening impacts from Florence: storm surge at the coast and freshwater flooding from a prolonged heavy rainfall event inland," the National Hurricane Center...

Hurricane Florence is a rapidly strengthening major storm with sustained 130 mph winds as it heads toward a potentially devastating landfall in the Southeast U.S. later this week, already prompting evacuation orders on the North Carolina coast. The National Hurricane Center is warning of “life-threatening” storm surge in the Carolinas and Virginia, as well as “a prolonged and exceptionally heavy rainfall event” in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic.

PINE RIDGE, SC S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster announced a mandatory evacuation of the South Carolina coast on Monday. All eight the counties along the coast would begin evacuating as of noon on Tuesday, McMaster said at a press briefing on Monday. McMaster said he would reverse lanes on four main roads to facilitate the evacuation. As of noon Tuesday, lanes will reverse on Interstate 26 from Charleston to Columbia and Highway 50from Myrtle Beach. Highways 278 and 21 in Beaufort County will be ready for reversal as of noon, but officials will wait to make an order at that time....

September 10 is the statistical peak of the Atlantic Tropical Storm season, and the conga line of storms dancing across the Atlantic is not disappointing historical data. The Governors of NC and SC have declared states of emergency for a potential major hurricane landfall, while Hurricane Florence is slowly creeping westward. Florence is predicted to increase forward motion and intensity Monday. Hurricanes Hazel (1954) and Hugo (1989) are two notorious major hurricanes to make landfall in NC and SC, respectively. North Carolina has prior experience with "F" named hurricanes. Hurricanes Fran (1996) and Floyd (1999) caused widespread flooding and damage...

Tropical Storm Florence is quickly approaching the eastern United States, and according to the National Hurricane Center, the storm's threat to the East Coast keeps rising. The storm is traveling over warm water, and is expected to increase its speed and become a hurricane Saturday night. The National Hurricane Center forecasts Florence will be a dangerous major hurricane near the southeast U.S. coast by late next week, "and the risk of direct impacts continues to increase." "However, given the uncertainty in track and intensity forecasts at those time ranges," the National Hurricane Center tweeted, "it's too soon to determine the...

Here is the projected path of Hurricane Florence. Since the NHC/NOAA updates this IMAGE, it should change with passing time: