“The storm of a lifetime.” That’s how one National Weather Service meteorologist is describing the massive Category 4 Hurricane Florence currently barreling toward the coast of the Carolinas, slated to make landfall on Friday. The National Hurricane Center is warning of a “life-threatening storm surge,” as well as massive flooding and highly destructive winds. This is North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

Gov. Roy Cooper: “This storm is a monster. It’s big, and it’s vicious. It is an extremely dangerous, life-threatening, historic hurricane. That’s why I’m ordering a mandatory state evacuation for our barrier islands, and I’m directing the people of North Carolina to obey local evacuation orders that have already been issued and will be issued along our coast.”