How Hurricane Florence Will Impact NYC | Updated

Updated 9/14/18 at 9 a.m. – Latest forecasts from the National Hurricane Center show up to 2 inches of rainfall associated with the storm is expected in the city.

NEW YORK, NY – Hurricane Florence looks set to miss New York City, focusing its "life-threatening" fury instead on the Carolinas and forcing the evacuation of a million people from the East Coast. But the city will not totally escape its impact, forecasts show.

Florence, currently a category 4 hurricane, is expected to reach the Mid-Atlantic by Thursday night. It could be approaching a category 5 storm when it does, the National Weather Service warned.

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The National Hurricane Center's Tuesday morning update showed the incredible devastation that could be in store for the Carolinas and beyond. It also showed how far north the storm's impact could reach after a slight northbound shift.

New York City is on the outskirts of the storm's reach, but will still be hit by up to two inches of rain, the forecast shows.

Strong rip currents and intense surf along eastern coast are also a risk.

These forecasts can always change, and a slight shift in the storm's track could result in different conditions for the New York area.

>>>NEW: Dire Outlook As Millions Flee Along Coastline

But the primary concern remains the Mid-Atlantic, where at up to 30 inches of rain and hurricane-force winds are expected in parts. As of Tuesday morning, Florence had maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour and was about 900 miles off the coast of Cape Fear, North Carolina.

The South Carolina coastline is under mandatory evacuations beginning at noon Tuesday, while some parts of coastal North Carolina and Virginia are also under evacuations.

Reported by Mike Carraggi/Patch

National Hurricane Center image