CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Hurricane Dorian strengthened as it moved within 100 miles the Carolinas coast Wednesday afternoon.
The Category 2 hurricane, with tropical storm-force winds that extend out 195 miles, picked up speed as is closed to about 150 miles south of Charleston, S.C., the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 p.m. EDT update.
Now moving at 110 mph, the hurricane is forecast to get closer, as its current track has it moving northwest at 8 mph, the NHC said.
Forecasters warn Hurricane Dorian's eye will be "dangerously close," if not on top of, the coast by Thursday.
"Our forecast right now keeps it really close to the coast, when a little wobble could take it right on shore with some of those winds," National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham said Wednesday.
"The center of Dorian will approach the coast of South Carolina Wednesday night, move near or over the coast of South Carolina on Thursday, and move near or over the coast of North Carolina Thursday night and Friday," according to the NHC.
Either way, Dorian's powerful sustained winds and 10 to 15 inches of predicted rain promise to cause widespread flooding and power outages across large parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. That includes areas further inland from the coast.
Wednesday morning, Charleston began experiencing a "king tide," flooding parts of the city, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said during a news conference.
Sustained winds of 39 mph, and a gust of 51 mph, were recorded at Folly Beach, the hurricane center said in its late afternoon update.
"Life-threatening" storm surges, ranging from four to eight feet in height, are expected across the coast, National Weather Service meteorologist John Quagliariello said.
In North Carolina, the state's first hurricane-related death was reported.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said an 85-year-old man in Columbus County fell from a ladder while preparing for the storm.
The chances of Dorian spinning out to sea and sparing the Carolinas have all but vanished, experts say.
"There is basically no change to the track forecast reasoning," the NHC said of the storm. "Even if Dorian does not make landfall, hurricane-force winds are expected to reach portions of the coast from central Florida to North Carolina."
Dorian remained a Category 2 hurricane at 3 p.m. Wednesday and was expected to stay near that strength "until it passes near or over the North Carolina Outer Banks," forecasters said.
By Friday morning, Dorian's center is predicted to be near Wilmington, and it is expected the storm will remain at hurricane strength, but a Category 1, WTVD reported.
As of 5 p.m., Dorian was about 275 miles southwest of Wilmington, according to the NHC.
Rain forecasts call for 15 inches in or around Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties, as well as the Outer Banks areas in Carteret, Pamlico and Hyde counties. Ten inches are expected in surrounding counties, while 4 inches could fall as far east as Raleigh.
"Life-threatening" flash floods, surf and rip currents will accompany the storm, the hurricane center said Wednesday.
A tornado threat is forecast Wednesday and Thursday in parts of Onslow, Carteret, Pamlico and Hyde counties nearest the coast, including Camp Lejeune Marine base, the National Weather Service said.
"There is a high risk of flash flooding on Thursday across coastal sections from northeast South Carolina into southern North Carolina."
All of the powerful elements are expected to leave hundreds of thousands of Carolinas residents in the dark.
Duke Energy predicted that Hurricane Dorian could cause more than 700,000 power outages in the Carolinas.
"Hurricane Dorian is a historic storm headed straight up the Carolina coastline," Duke Energy meteorology director Nick Keener said in a news release. "This slow-moving, powerful storm will bring hurricane- and tropical-storm-force winds, and rain, over a large area of our coastal, Pee Dee and Triangle regions."
