Stunning video closeup of the eye of #HurricaneFlorence

The GOES-16 satellite has been producing stunning imagery every since it made orbit. Today is no exception. Here is a closeup view of the eye of Hurricane Florence as it nears the Carolinas. This video was taken yesterday during rapid strengthening of the hurricane as it reached Category4 status. It may take a bit to load.

h/t to Dr. Roy Spencer.

From NHC:

At 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Florence was
located near latitude 26.7 North, longitude 65.3 West. Florence
is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h). A west-
northwestward to northwestward motion with a slight increase in
forward speed are expected during the next couple of days.  On
the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the
southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas through
Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South
Carolina in the hurricane watch area Thursday and Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher
gusts.  Florence is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale.  Florence is expected to begin re-
strengthening later today and continue a slow strengthening trend
for the next day or so.  While some weakening is expected on
Thursday, Florence is expected to be an extremely dangerous major
hurricane through landfall.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles
(240 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb (28.06 inches).

Here is the latest forecast cone as of this writing:

While we brace for the landfall of Florence, we also brace for the predictable caterwauling of climate alarmists that will surely say this hurricane has been “made worse” by climate change.