WILMINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) — The coastal towns of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach are prepared as they can be now that the outer bands of Hurricane Florence are hitting. Business owners in downtown Wilmington have closed and boarded up their storefronts and for good reasons. The water levels of the Cape Fear River are expected to rise and cause flooding. Wrightsville Beach has been closed since the mandatory evacuation went into effect 8 p.m. on Wednesday…

Molly Goldston knew she wanted to save dogs from county animal shelters that, because of forthcoming Hurricane Florence, might have to euthanize them. So earlier this week her Wake Forest adoption center, Saving Grace, accepted about two dozen dogs from shelters around the state and amassed a total of 124 — dozens more than it houses in a typical week. Goldston didn’t know, however, how many of the dogs she’d be able to place in…

While Florence is not as strong as it once was, it will still havemajor impacts on the local weather and across a large part of Northand South Carolina. The size of Florence has grown quite large withtropical storm-force winds cover a diameter of more than 450 miles.This immense storm is slowing and expected to just crawl once itreaches the southeast coast of North Carolina near Wilmington Fridaymorning. It will move west-southwest or southwest for a…

World Central Kitchen, the disaster relief group formed by famous chef Jose Andres, is already camped out and serving meals in North Carolina as Hurricane Florence approaches land. Volunteers with the international organization team up with local chefs and kitchens and distribute meals to shelters. Between Raleigh and Wilmington, the organization is prepared to serve 150,000 meals, executive director Nate Mook said in an interview. Mook said the sheer size of Hurricane Florence and its…

Drowning rain and Neuse River flooding inundated roads in New Bern and greater Craven County on Thursday with conditions worsening into the night as Hurricane Florence hovered off the North Carolina coast. “We’re expecting conditions to continue to deteriorate,” said Amber Parker, the county’s human resources director, on Thursday afternoon. Before midnight, they had. A map sent out by the City of New Bern showed just how widespread the flooding had become. The North Carolina…

Man has tearful reunion with dog 3 months after the pit bull was kidnapped Prak Dara and his girlfriend Kara Hills were reunited with their dog, Titan, on June 3 after he had been kidnapped from his home in Katy, Texas, three months prior. Titan was found almost 1,000 miles away in Greenville, SC thanks to his microchip.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — “Do not underestimate the storm.” That was the message from Governor Roy Cooper Thursday morning as state officials gave a briefing about Hurricane Florence at the Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh. “Don’t relax, don’t get complacent” Governor Cooper said. “Stay on guard. This is a powerful storm that can kill.” Governor Cooper said there are about 108 shelters open in the state with more than 7,000 people staying in them and…