Updated: 7:25 p.m.   There IS an end in sight. It’s just not anytime soon for those that need it the most. Even though all tropical storm warnings have been cancelled, the persistent heavy rain and flash flooding from Tropical Storm Florence will continue for several more hours in portions of North and South Carolina. The heavy rain and flood risk will then spread across the mid-state of North Carolina and areas along and north…

Updated: 4:05 p.m. North Carolina state officials urged residents to stay off the roadways because of flooding from Florence and poor conditions. “As the storm continues to move, floodwaters continue to affect primary and secondary roads and many portions of our state,” said Col. Glenn McNeill, the commander of the State Highway Patrol. “I cannot stress this enough: If you do not have to drive, then please do not. Residents who choose to drive in…

Updated: 2:30 p.m. Florence is expected to weaken from a tropical storm to a depression later today while continuing to hammer the Carolinas with heavy rain and winds, according to the National Hurricane Center. In its latest public advisory, the center projects as much as 15 to 20 inches of rainfall in parts of the Charlotte region. The National Weather Service expects at most 15 inches in isolated spots near Charlotte. Rainfall totals of 30…

Updated: 11:35 a.m. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the danger is rising for North Carolinians as Tropical Storm Florence lingers over the state.  “The flood danger is more immediate today than what it was when it made landfall just 24 hours ago,” Cooper said at a press briefing Saturday morning. “We face walls of water at our coasts, along our rivers, across farmland, in our cities and in our towns. More people now face…

Updated: 9:40 a.m. Duke Energy is reporting that more than 11,000 of its customers in Mecklenburg County are without power this morning because of Tropical Storm Florence. Duke reports 544,725 customers are without power in the Carolinas, including 11,228 in Mecklenburg County, 484,798 in all of North Carolina, and 59,747 in South Carolina. Duke also reports 613 without power in Gaston County, 600 without power in Cabarrus County, 425 without power in Union County, 56…

Updated: 6:45 a.m. Tropical Storm Florence is weakening but is still bringing “catastrophic” flooding across North and South Carolina, according to the latest public advisory from the National Hurricane Center.  The storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour and higher gusts. The National Weather Service is warning people to stay vigilant during the storm with flash flooding expected.  Don’t be fooled – just because #Florence is now a tropical storm doesn’t mean…