Hurricane Florence: By the numbers

Massive storm, about 400 miles wide, begins to batter Carolina coast

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hurricane Florence has begun to batter the Carolina coast, and she's not going away anytime soon.

Outer bands from the hurricane are now lashing land , at least a full day before the National Hurricane Center expects the slow-moving storm's eye to blow ashore around the North Carolina-South Carolina line. Officials say people refusing to evacuate could end up alone, drenched and in the dark, as rescue crews won't go out to help in winds above 50 mph

Here's a by-the-numbers look at the massive storm as of 5 p.m. Thursday:

Size

Including its outerbands, Hurricane Florence is about four times larger than the state of Ohio.

Hurricane-force winds extend up to 80 miles from the center, covering about 140 miles. That's the same distance as going from Jacksonville to Orlando. 

Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 195 miles.

Overall, Florence is about 400 miles wide. That's like driving from Jacksonville to Charlotte, North Carolina. 

For perspective, Hurricane Irma, which hit Florida last September, was only 220 miles across.

Hurricane Matthew, at its peak in 2016, was about 250 miles in diameter.

Rainfall

Parts of the Carolinas could see 20 inches to 30 inches, with isolated areas getting 40 inches, over seven days along the coast. That's enough to make a vehicle float. 

Wave size

The waves in the Atlantic Ocean underneath Hurricane Florence are estimated at 83 feet tall. For perspective, the firefighter tower on the side of Interstate 10 near Stockton Street is 70 feet tall. That means those waves could swallow the building whole. 

Storm surge 

According to the National Hurricane Center, the combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the Carolina coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Seawaters could push inland 2 miles, depending on how long Florence lingers

Storm surge in some of the most vulnerable areas is expected to be between 9 and 13 feet. In comparison, the ladder below is 12 feet tall.

Intensity

At 5 p.m. Thursday, Florence's maximum sustained winds are at 100 mph, down from a peak of 140 mph, but still extremely dangerous.

Hurricane Florence: By the numbers

Get out

More than 1.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia are under mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders, and more than 10 million people live in places currently under storm watches or warnings.

"If you're in an affected area of a major hurricane, that's literally the worst day of their lives," said Randy Wyse, president of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters. 

Wyse said departments in the Jacksonville area have sent emergency crews to help rescue those in the storm's path and more are on standby.

"We can't rebuild anything, but we get in the areas, make sure everybody is out and, maybe, save any people that might still be trapped," Wyse said. 

Going dark

Duke Energy anticipates 1 million to 3 million homes and businesses will lose power.

That's why utility crews from all over the country area are coming to help. Jacksonville's JEA will be sending 51 trucks on Saturday.

JEA lineman Matthew Stafford is eager to make a difference.

"So many people and things are dependent on electricity and electronics nowadays -- people on medicine, hospitals," he said. "That stuff is very important in today's life."

Grounded

So far, nearly 1,500 flights have been canceled through Saturday. Airports and airlines urge travelers to check for delays and cancellations. 


About the Author:

Lifetime Jacksonville resident anchors the 8 and 9 a.m. weekday newscasts and is part of the News4Jax I-Team.