Hurricane ‘Florence’: Outer rain bands approaching North Carolina coast

A storm front is seen on the beach in North Topsail Beach, N.C., prior to Hurricane Florence moving toward the east coast on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. Hurricane Florence is putting a corridor of more than 10 million people in the crosshairs as it closes in on the Carolinas, uncertainty over its projected path spreading worry across a wider swath of the Southeast. (AP Photo/Tom Copeland)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The National Hurricane Center said the outer rain bands of Hurricane Florence are approaching the coast of North Carolina.

Early Thursday the Category 2 was about 325 kilometers (205 miles) east southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, and about 405 kilometers (250 miles) east southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The gradually slowing but still life-threatening storm is moving northwest at 24 kilometers per hour (15 mph). Little change in strength is expected before the center reaches the coast. Weakening is expected after the center moves inland.

This enhanced satellite image made available by NOAA shows Hurricane Florence off the eastern coast of the United States on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 at 5:52 p.m. EDT. (NOAA via AP)

The Miami-based center said the center of Florence will approach the coasts of North and South Carolina later Thursday. It then will move near or over the coast of southern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina in the hurricane warning area later Thursday and Friday.  /kga