Meteorologists at WCTI-TV’s headquarters in New Bern, North Carolina, were forced to evacuate during Hurricane Florence live on the air.
A Twitter user captured the incident and uploaded it. “Eerie video as WCTI’s meteorologists finally evacuate due to rising waters mid-broadcast, leaving just the radar of Florence’s rain bands looping on repeat,” he wrote.
“On air meteorologists in New Bern casually explaining the building has been evacuated due to Florence’s storm surge but they’re sticking around to stay on air and inform the public,” he added.
It said, “A Weatherflow station at Fort Macon, North Carolina, recently reported a sustained wind of 70 mph (113 km/h) and a wind gust of 105 mph (169 km/h). Water levels continue to rise quickly on the western side of Pamlico Sound. A gauge at Oriental, North Carolina, on the Neuse River is recording a water height of about 5.5 feet above normal levels.”
According to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. discussion: “Florence has continued to slow down, and radar fixes over the past couple hours suggest that Florence has possibly stalled due to a re-organization of the eye/eyewall.”
“On days 4 and 5, Florence is expected to become an extratropical low as it interacts with a front while moving northward and northeastward along the Appalachian Mountains. The official forecast track is similar to, but slightly south of the previous advisory track through 72 hours, with little change indicated on days 4 and 5,” says the NHC.
The storm has 100 mph winds and is currently about 80 miles southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina.
