Hurricane Florence is weakening as it closes in on North Carolina but it could still have devastating effects.
The hurricane which is now Category 2 is expected to unleash storm surge and there is a possibility of flooding rains beginning Thursday, reported CNN.
The storm is forecast to move inland slowly, wreaking havoc on the coast for days.
While the storm has weakened and is no longer considered a major hurricane, its reach has expanded and it might be threatening to the residents of Georgia and Virginia.
The mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser, on Tuesday, had declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Florence prepared to make landfall in the southeastern coast of the United States. Earlier this week, the residents of South Carolina were ordered to evacuate from the coast as then-category-4 Hurricane Florence approached.