RICHMOND, Va. — Hurricane Matthew is leaving the Bahamas and approaching Florida. Wind speeds were around 140 mph most of the day, but dropped to 130 mph at 8 p.m. Even with the decrease in wind speed, it remains a category four hurricane. The storm will pass over the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream off the east coast of Florida, so an increase in wind speed in possible.
The forecast track will have the center move along, or just slightly east, of the Florida Atlantic coast. After that, the storm will move near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. The computer models still show the storm curving back out into the Atlantic, and even making an almost circle-like track into early next week. The storm may drop to tropical storm strength by Sunday afternoon.
A few models do bring the center up into eastern North Carolina, so the current forecast track isn’t 100% certain yet once it moves past Florida.
Rainfall totals over eight to ten inches will be possible from coastal Florida up to parts of North and South Carolina. Localized heavier amounts are possible across the Carolinas as Atlantic moisture will fuel rainfall Friday through the weekend. The moisture from Matthew will enhance rainfall from a cold front for us on Saturday.
More information can be found in the CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.
