7:00 AM | **Hurricane Florence closing in on the Carolina coastline now as a cat 2**
Paul Dorian
6-Day DC Forecast
Today
Mainly cloudy and humid with patchy fog and some drizzle this morning, chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, highs near 80 degrees
Tonight
Mainly cloudy and mild with chance of showers and thunderstorms, patchy fog possible late, lows in the lower 70’s
Friday
Mainly cloudy and humid with patchy fog and drizzle possible in the morning, chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, upper 70’s for afternoon highs
Friday Night
Mainly cloudy, mild, muggy, chance of showers and thunderstorms, patchy fog possible late, upper 60’s for overnight lows
Saturday
Partly sunny, warm, humid, chance of showers and thunderstorms, upper 70’s
Sunday
Partly sunny, warm, humid, chance of showers and thunderstorms, upper 70’s
Monday
Mainly cloudy, warm, humid, chance of showers and thunderstorms, near 80 degrees
Tuesday
Mainly cloudy, breezy, warm, humid, occasional showers and thunderstorms likely, near 80 degrees
Discussion
Florence continues to move towards the Carolina coastline now as a cat 2 hurricane and it should get quite close by early tomorrow. As it approaches the coast, it will slow down dramatically as it becomes influenced by strong blocking upper-level high pressure to the north. From this location, Florence will likely take a turn to the southwest and then painfully crawl down the Carolina coastline leading to an extended period of heavy rain and strong winds for coastal sections of the Carolinas as well as nearby inland locations. Over the weekend, Florence will then likely push inland over South Carolina and Georgia in a somewhat weakened state and then it’ll begin a looping process in the early part of next week. This loop will begin with a push to the northwest and then a turn to the north and ultimately, a push to the northeast before finally exiting the US around the middle of next week - perhaps off of New Jersey. Believe it or not, the heaviest rains in the Mid-Atlantic region from Florence – or, more specifically, from what will be the remains of Florence - may actually come in the late Monday - early Wednesday time period as it loops back to the east and interacts with a frontal system.
Meteorologist Paul Dorian
Perspecta, Inc.
perspectaweather.com