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A Category 3 storm brings as much as 129 mph winds, with the expectation that devastating damage will occur, including damage to well-built framed houses, downed and snapped trees, blocked roads and the possibility of power outages for several days to weeks.
Tornadoes are possible in eastern North Carolina beginning late Thursday morning.
About 20-30 inches of rainfall are expected in coastal North Carolina, with catastrophic flash flooding and major river flooding and as much as of 40 inches in some areas.
In Western North Carolina, about 5-10 inches of rain is expected, and up to 20 inches in some isolated areas.
The U.S. Forest Service will close down all campgrounds and recreation sites, day use or overnight, in the Nantahala and the Pisgah National Forests by noon Thursday.
The news Wednesday was that Florence-generated rainfall totals could reach as high as 10 inches in some parts of Western North Carolina, possibly more in isolated areas.
The exact path of the storm was still uncertain, but city of Asheville Communications Director Polly McDaniel said the city continued to monitor the storm as it marched through the Atlantic.
While flooding is a concern with such potentially high rainfall totals, McDaniel said the city has a plan.
At the North Fork Dam, Water Resources has been periodically releasing small amounts of water to increase capacity for a potential major rain event.
Stormwater Services has been clearing storm drains of accumulated debris, she added.
City Source, Asheville's official blog, continued to update throughout Wednesday, offering preparedness tips and important emergency contact information.
McDaniel shared on the blog that interim Asheville Fire Department Chief Chris Budzinski said North Carolina Emergency Management has requested the department deploy, or prepare to deploy, resources to assist with storm response, such as swift-water rescue.
Asheville Fire Department division chief Jeremy Knighton has been deployed to Kinston to serve as communications leader for NC Emergency Management. A communications trailer with three personnel equipped with emergency radio has also been deployed to the North Carolina city.
McDaniel said the AFD's Twitter account remains a good source for up-to-date storm information.
Even though Western North Carolina should be spared the full force of Florence's winds, flash flooding and downed trees or power lines remain major risks.
The increase in forecasted rainfall sets up additional risk of landslides in the mountains because of the amount of rain and the speed at which it could add up, said Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Greer, South Carolina.
"The bulk of the rainfall is expected to hold until the weekend, possibly later Friday evening," he said.
The storm could have other dangers, including the potential for landslides and a possibility that other weather systems, including tornadoes, could develop in the storm's wake, Munroe said Wednesday.
Daniel said U.S. Cellular Center general manager Chris Corl has been requested to be on standby to assist, should a large venue in the storm zone be converted into a shelter. "He is trained to assist in these situations," she said.
Sign up for AVL Alert, the city’s emergency notification system. Signing up is quick and easy and you can receive alerts for up to five locations. That may include your residence, an elderly relative’s residence, your child’s school, etc.
Download the NC Emergency Management app, ReadyNC, or follow the agency at this link.
Assemble an emergency kit, to include flashlight and batteries, bottled water, non-perishable food and other supplies. Find a federal government-recommended list at this link.
The City of Asheville website.
The Asheville Fire Department’s Twitter feed.
The city of Asheville Facebook page and Twitter feed are both good sources of information on street closures in case of localized flooding.
Also NC Emergency Management has a list of open shelters.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety has issued food safety recommendations for those in the hurricane's path.
Freeze refrigerated items, such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately. This helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
Group foods together in the freezer. This ‘igloo’ effect helps the food stay cold longer.
Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water.
Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water.
Discard cardboard juice/milk/baby formula boxes and home-canned foods if they have come in contact with flood water, because they cannot be effectively cleaned and sanitized.
Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food that's been above 40°F for two hours or more.
FSIS provides relevant food safety information during disasters on Twitter @USDAFoodSafety and Facebook.
After consulting with state emergency management, local safety personnel and law enforcement, NC Mountain State Fair officials have said the show must go on.
Though the fair will be open, this weekend’s dairy cattle, meat goat and wool-breed sheep shows will not be held.
The Very Special Livestock Show and poultry shows will continue as planned. Fairgoers also will be able to see livestock on display in the barns, Moo-ternity Ward and Farmer Bill’s AgVenture Tent.
Fair officials will continue to monitor the path of Hurricane Florence. Future updates will be posted to the fair’s website at www.mountainfair.org and the fair’s Facebook page.
The fair, celebrating its 25th year at the WNC Agricultural Center, faced a partial closure last year in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
From the event's main page: "The 22nd annual Brewgrass Festival has officially been rescheduled due to the current forecast regarding Hurricane Florence. This decision was made not only to ensure the safety of those potentially traveling to the event from out-of-town but also to give brewery partners in harm’s way the ...
The festival will be rescheduled for October 27, 2018 at the Salvage Station. Bands are subject to change.
Any ticket purchased for the 22nd annual Brewgrass on September 15th will automatically be transferred to the new date in October. Anyone unable to make the new October 27th date should reach out to the organization for a full refund. Brewgrass Festival apologies for any inconvenience this change in plans causes."
The Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville said it is preparing for Hurricane Florence.
Its emergency plans ensure adequate staffing levels, medication, medical supplies, food, water, and fuel to maintain operations for at least 10 days.
"Currently Hurricane Florence’s impact is uncertain; however, preparation is key," said Stephanie Young, Medical Center Director. "The safety of our veterans and staff is our highest priority."
The medical center and three community outpatient clinics are fully operational.Any changes will be posted on the center's website and social media.
KINSTON — Gov. Roy Cooper traveled to Kinston on Wednesday, located southeast of Goldsboro in Lenoir County, where he met with emergency personnel, toured an air cargo facility and continued to urge residents to follow evacuation orders.
Cooper said residents who try to ride out the storm may ultimately put the lives of first responders at risk. Emergency supplies were being distributed ahead of Hurricane Florence's arrival, with officials preparing in case the storm is so dangerous that they'll lose access to parts of the state in the aftermath.
"This storm is so intense we're doing things a little different this time," Cooper said.
Kinston Mayor Don Hardy also urged residents to heed evacuation orders. A law enforcement himself — he works for the UNC Lenoir Health Care Public Safety Department — Hardy said he still remembers wading through 3-feet deep water as they tried to help people out of their homes during Hurricane Matthew.
RUTHERFORDTON — Rutherford County on Wednesday declared a state of emergency as local governments across the state prepared for Hurricane Florence's arrival.
The county's proclamation orders all of Rutherford's law enforcement, employees and emergency management personnel to cooperate with preparations and allows the establishment of emergency shelters if needed.
Rutherford County is located southeast of Asheville.
Currrent projections show Florence shifting south and west from its previously path. A Category 3 storm, it's slowed and might not reach land until Friday.
Western North Carolina could see 5-7 inches of rain with as much as 10 inches in up-slope areas south and east of Asheville. The region may see flash flooding, mudslides, debris flow and possibly some river flooding.
CHARLOTTE – On the banks of Lake Champlain at Charlotte's public beach, about 10 people stood on the dock peering out into the water to spot the swimmer's cap (or perhaps the arms) of any of the 14 swimmers who took part in an open water race on Sunday.
Upon spotting a swimmer, guesses as to who it might be would promptly begin as the person came closer and closer to shore. Some powered through the last few minutes of the race, while others took it slowly, tired after almost two hours of making their way through fairly calm 70-degree waters.
Christophe Lissarrangue of Shelburne organized the first Lake Champlain Open Water Swim with the help of a few local friends, he said. Those who signed up swam the approximately 3.7 miles across the lake from Essex, N.Y., to the beach in Charlotte. Most were accompanied by a spotter in a kayak, who would steer the swim...
Lissarrangue, originally from France, said he swam a similar race in his home country — which inspired him to transplant the idea on Lake Champlain. Proceeds from the event will go to the Lake Champlain Committee, a bi-state citizens' organization dedicated to protecting the health of the lake and accessibility to its ...
"I think it went well," Lissarrangue said. "We wanted to keep it small just so we could manage it well, and we were lucky it was a beautiful day. We had a very strong group of swimmers."
All swimmers finished the race in fewer than three hours. Barry Hulce of South Burlington finished first, in about an hour and 46 minutes.
The youngest swimmer, Abby Hurd, 20, of Stowe, Mass., said she heard about the race through the University of Vermont, where she attends college. As one of the only swimmers without a wetsuit, Hurd admitted she was worried at first that she was going to freeze, but she said she warmed up after the first few minutes.
Hurd finished in last, but she said she had a great time swimming the race.
"I feel really good actually," Hurd said. "I was a little wobbly when I got out of the water ... It was a great time."
A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in the Afghan capital on Friday, killing five people and wounding 29 others, authorities said, in the latest attack to target the country's minority Shiites.
Mohammad Salim Rasuli, chief of Kabul hospitals, confirmed the fatalities from the attack, which came as worshippers were leaving the Hussainia Mosque in central Kabul following Friday prayers. Police officer Abdul Rahman said the attacker blew himself up on the street about 1,000 meters from the mosque.
Police official Sadiq Muradi said police confronted the attacker as he came through a checkpoint near the holy site, calling for him to stop. That's when he ignited his explosives, blowing himself up.
Mir Hussain Nasiri, a member of Kabul's Shiite clerics council, told the Associated Press that the attacker was disguised as a shepherd.
Mohammad Ismail, police chief of Kabul's 10th district, said a second person suspected of involvement was in custody.
Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack in a statement, saying the "terrorists" targeted civilians and their holy place, which shows the attackers "are against humanity and anti-religion and faith."
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place two days before the Muslim holy day of Ashura. But Afghanistan has faced a series of large-scale attacks in recent months targeting minority Shiites for which the Sunni-dominated Islamic State group affiliate in Afghanistan has taken responsibil...
In July, Islamic State attacked the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul and then warned Shiites in Afghanistan that their mosques would be targeted. Sunni extremists consider Shiites to be heretics.
Within days of that, Islamic State also took responsibility for a suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in western Herat province that left 32 people dead.
Last month, militants stormed a packed Shiite mosque in Kabul during Friday prayers in an attack that lasted for hours and ended with at least 20 worshippers killed and another 50 seriously wounded, many of them children. Islamic State claimed it was responsible.
Also on Friday, an Afghan official said a Taliban attack on a police checkpoint in western Farah province left five police officers dead.
Baher said reinforcements from the Afghan national army arrived after several hours of fighting and pushed the Taliban fighters out of the district. He said the Afghan air force struck three Taliban vehicles as they tried to escape, killing at least 20 of the militants.
CBS investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson, the journalist who has been uncovering many secrets in the burgeoning Fast and Furious scandal, told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly Thursday night that there may be many more shoes to drop in the unfolding drama.
“It’s an incredibly major story that we have a lot more to learn about,” Attkisson said.
“Also documents, we haven’t really had time to report on all of them," she added. "There are a lot of sensitive documents and allegations going around, many of them we haven’t reported yet because we need to get more confirmation of them. But what you see on the surface that we do report in our stories is really only a...
The scandal, which threatens to engulf Attorney Gen. Eric Holder, potentially becoming a major election issue next year for President Barack Obama, who gave his unequivocal backing to his attorney general minutes before the interview.
Under Fast and Furious, at least 1,400 assault weapons were allowed to cross the border into Mexico in the hope that they could be traced and would lead agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to the cartel bosses.
But most of the weapons soon disappeared and they have been linked to dozens of crimes south of the border, including the February murder of U.S. immigration officer Jaime Zapata who was working from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
Some of the guns were also used in this country. Two were involved in the December murder of border agent Brian Terry in Arizona; 40 were found in a stash in El Paso, Texas in January; and now Republicans say at least 11 crimes have been committed on U.S. soil with Fast and Furious weapons.
And that’s a good thing because he and his team have come up with a new offering for other deal chasers: The Yipit iPhone app, which went live this week in the App Store.
Think of it as the ultimate mobile shopping guide to daily deals across the United States, including national, local, and customized offers.
“There are thousands of deals at any given time,” Moran told me. Moving beyond its existing e-mail service, Yipit’s new iPhone app surfaces customized deal recommendations from 750 sources, including big names like Groupon and LivingSocial and more specialized players like Gilt City and Rue La La (luxe lifestyle & geta...
Shoppers on-the-go can search and map nearby deals; receive new offers tailored to their interests; browse deals by category, and bookmark deals for later. One particularly nice feature is the app’s push notification, which alerts you when a deal is trending, so you can buy popular offers before they sell out.
Moran and his team are keen to point out that Groupon and Living Social drive 75 percent of the industry’s revenue yet represent only 20 percent of the deals. Yipit aims to capture this sweet underserved spot. If the nascent daily deals sector continues to grow at its current pace of 10 percent a month, Yipit’s smart d...
Yipit’s iPhone app is a win for local merchants, too, Moran explains. “They can’t afford a really cool iPhone app so we built it for them.” In addition, unlike Groupon Now, which hasn’t really taken off with consumers, and uses a “self-serve” model which requires local merchants to turn on and off deals, Yipit’s mobile...
I asked Moran if there were any plans to run ads against the mobile deals. “We’re not sure,” he replied. It would be very surprising if Yipit doesn’t go after local ads though. BIA Kelsey, a market research firm, forecasts the local part of U.S. social media ad revenues to grow from $400 million in 2010 to $2.3 billion...
Yipit’s Android app is planned for an early 2012 release, according to Moran.
This is great! I love that the app consolidates deals from many sources, as I am already a member of Rue La La, Living Social and Groupon.
Christine Blasey Ford gave a detailed scientific explanation for her memory of the alleged incident involving Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh at her highly anticipated Senate testimony Thursday.
Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., pressed Ford over her level of certainty that it was, in fact, Kavanaugh who allegedly pinned her down 36 years ago, while in high school, and attempted to remove her clothing.
“How are you so sure that it was he?” Feinstein asked.
Ford, a California-based psychology professor, laid out a detailed scientific explanation.
“Absolutely not,” Ford said, adding that she is “100 percent” certain it was Kavanaugh.
In a statement released by the Judiciary Committee Wednesday evening, Republicans revealed that on Monday, they had conducted interviews with two separate men who claim they, and not Kavanaugh, may have had the encounter with Dr. Ford in 1982.
Ford claimed that she and one other girl attended the gathering in the summer of 1982, naming her as Leland Keyser. Keyser, though, told the committee she does not know Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with or without Ford.
Kavanaugh has vehemently denied Ford’s allegations, along with the others leveled against him by Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick.

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