As Hurricane Florence hurtles into the Carolinas and residents gear up for what’s now a Category 1 storm, our reporters and photojournalists are on the coast and around the region. Their Wednesday reports from the coast are here. You can follow them on Twitter at https://twitter.com/newsobserver/lists/hurricane-mcclatchy New Bern, NC: Rescues from floodwaters 2:43 a.m. Friday: Despite a mandatory evacuation ordered Tuesday, Craven County emergency crews reported rescuing multiple residents from Hurricane Florence floodwaters through the…

By Laura Leslie, WRAL Capitol Bureau chief Knightdale, N.C. — A shelter set up at Knightdale High School for people fleeing their homes in Dare and Carteret counties ahead of Hurricane Florence was already at capacity by Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Officials could expand the shelter beyond its 450-person limit, if needed later, but they were sending evacuees to other area shelters, such as at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School or Garner High School. Novan…

Raleigh, N.C. — As mandatory evacuations are in place for Beaufort, Dare, Pamlico and Tyrrell county beaches (Atlantic, Indian, Emerald Isle, Pine Knoll Shores, Ocracoke, Carolina, Kure, Wrightsville, Topsail, Currituck Outer Banks, Oak Island and Holden), most people are heeding the warning and getting out in advance of Hurricane Florence. During a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper said there are 750,000 to 1 million people under evacuation orders. “If you aren’t under…

By Ken Smith, WRAL anchor/reporter A handful of residents still in the Outer Banks on Wednesday pride themselves on being resilient in the face of any storm, including Hurricane Florence. Jim Rose, owner of Sand Spur Ocean Cottages, is taking the few days of downtime this week to get his cottages ready for the end-of-summer season. He put up a sign some will understand instantly: “Kiss my grits.” The line comes from the 1970s sitcom…

By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter There is a reason a Carteret County town is called Sea Level. To get there, you travel a road that rides only a little higher than the water on both sides. The land is low, so many homes are raised high. Franklin Salter, 80, said Wednesday that he and his wife are staying for Hurricane Florence. He has some idea what he is up against. He remembers past storms, like…

By Bryan Mims, WRAL reporter Hurricane Florence comes less than two years after the historic flooding from Hurricane Matthew. Areas across the state, like Goldsboro, are still recovering. Along the Neuse River, people are praying for the water to stay at bay. Brenda Sigmon knows a hurricane can roil that river right into her mom’s living room. It happened before, and she fears it will happen again. And if it does, she said, “I have…

Updated Sept. 15, 9:45 a.m. Groups offering shelter may email metroeds@newsobserver.com. Wake County ▪ 1 p.m. at Heritage High School, 1150 Forestville Road, Wake Forest ▪ 2:30 p.m. at Middle Creek High School, 123 Middle Creek Park Ave., Apex ▪ 4 p.m. at Sanderson High School, 5500 Dixon Drive, Raleigh Wake County reported Wednesday night that the following shelters, previously opened, are now full. ▪ Shelter for New Hanover County residents (priority) at Southeast Raleigh…