Hurricane Florence makes landfall in North Carolina

Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina at about 7:30 on Friday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Even well away from the center you can get some of these winds,” NHC Director Ken Graham warned in a live update posted on Facebook. “Let’s make sure we’re thinking about this not just as one point but as a very large area of impact.”

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Millions were asked to evacuate the Carolina coasts as Florence approached this week.

President Trump, who has been in constant communication with state leaders, declared a state of emergency in North and South Carolina and Virginia ahead of the hurricane. The declaration makes federal assistance available to bolster state and local response efforts.

“We are completely ready for hurricane Florence, as the storm gets even larger and more powerful. Be careful!” Trump tweeted on Thursday.

We are completely ready for hurricane Florence, as the storm gets even larger and more powerful. Be careful!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2018

Additional states have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm, including Georgia and the District of Columbia.