Tracking Florence’s deluge

Florence has dropped 30 inches of rain, shattering the record of 24 inches set during Hurricane Floyd in 1999, and is expected to continue pouring down rain, perhaps 15 more inches.

Flooding from both the storm surge and rainfall could be “catastrophic,” the National Hurricane Center warned.

[ What Hurricane Florence looks and sounds like as it makes landfall ]

Walls of water surging on the coast

The biggest surge occurred to the north of where the eye of the storm came ashore near Wilmington, N.C.

Because of counterclockwise circulation around the eye, wind speed and surge height tend to be greater to the right of the storm track. Meanwhile, ocean water was sucked out of areas farther north and south.

Climate change also contributes to sea surge. In the case of Florence and the Carolinas, some six inches of the coming storm surge may be attributable to climate change, as sea levels have risen in the last 100 years or so.

Rivers jumping their banks

Flood gauges show water levels rising steadily across the region, as the storm is moving inland.