Florence to approach the Carolinas coast later Thursday -NHC

The center of Florence is expected to approach the coasts of North and South Carolina later on Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Sept 13 (Reuters) - The center of Florence is expected to approach the coasts of North and South Carolina later on Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Heavy rainbands along with tropical storm-force winds are spreading across the outer banks and coastal southeastern North Carolina, the NHC said on Thursday.

The hurricane is located about 165 miles (270 km) east of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour (165 km per hour), it added.

Florence is forecast to move near or over the coast of southern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina in the hurricane warning area Thursday night and Friday.