Florence pummels the Carolinas

By Brian Ries, Veronica Rocha, Meg Wagner, Paul P. Murphy and Eric Levenson, CNN

Updated 8:11 a.m. ET, September 17, 2018
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8:30 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Florence is so fierce, it split a CNN anchor's microphone cord in two

CNN's John Berman is reporting on Hurricane Florence in Wilmington, North Carolina. While giving an update on the storm while standing in the rain, his audio suddenly cut out.

When he got his mic back, he explained what happened:

"My cord just literally split in two," Berman said. "Some duct tape might be helpful."

Watch the moment:

8:17 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Here's what its like inside Florence's eye

Wrightsville Beach police officers went out driving around while inside the eye of Hurricane Florence.

Some scattered debris can be seen throughout the live stream, but weather conditions are relatively calm and clear.

Watch the footage:

8:10 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

This Myrtle Beach bar has a warning for looters

From CNN’s Paul Vercammen

Looters be warned: You're not welcome at the Knuckleheads Bar and Grill in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The restaurant’s boarded-up windows have a spray painted sign stating “LOOTERS WILL BE SHOT” 

8:04 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Here's where Hurricane Florence is now — and where it's going next

The National Hurricane Center just released it's updated forecast for Hurricane Florence.

The storm made landfall at 7:15 a.m. near North Carolina's Wrightsville Beach, just east of Wilmington. The storm is projected to travel westward through South Carolina. Later, this weekend, the storm will turn north.

The next update will drop at 11 a.m. ET. You can also track Hurricane Florence's path with CNN's storm tracker.

8:01 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

This is what it looks like in Wilmington right now

Hurricane Florence made landfall at 7:15 a.m. ET just east of Wilmington, North Carolina. The storm is dumping rain and lashing Wilmington with hurricane-force winds.

CNN's John Berman is reporting from the city. Check out what it's like there:

7:49 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Flooding in Belhaven, North Carolina, is up to this house's windows

Amy Johnson took video of flooding in Belhaven, North Carolina.

Her footage shows floodwaters up to a building's windows:

7:44 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

The mayor of Wilmington has never seen a storm like Florence

Bill Saffo, the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, has lived in the city his whole life, and he said he's never seen a hurricane like the slow-moving Florence.

"I have never seen a hurricane that is literally going to be with us for two days," he cold CNN.

Saffo said the entire city is out of power and many trees are down.

CNN's John Berman is reporting from Wilmington. Video showed him drenched in the rain as wind whipped around him.

Watch more:

7:41 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Hurricane Florence has made landfall

Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina at 7:15 am ET.

It has maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

7:35 a.m. ET, September 14, 2018

Wilmington is getting its highest winds since 1960

Winds at at the Wilmington International Airport in North Carolina reached 92 mph this morning.

That marks the highest wind gust measured since Hurricane Donna hit in September 1960, the National Weather Service reported.

Here's the service's full break down of top winds in Wilmington: