"We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," Cooper said.
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Cooper said he issued the emergency declaration early to enable farmers to bring in heavier trucks to take harvest from the field ahead of Dorian.
"Right now, Hurricane Dorian is fierce. Forecasts show that North Carolina will likely see heavy rain, winds, and flooding. And I urge everyone to take it seriously," Cooper said.
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Gov. Cooper urges North Carolinians to prepare ahead of Dorian
Hurricane Dorian made landfall as a Category 5 storm Sunday afternoon in the Bahamas.
Forecasts show that North Carolina will likely see heavy rain, winds and flooding.
"The time to prepare is now," Cooper added.
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Impacts in North Carolina could be felt as early as Wednesday evening.
"As many of you have seen with each additional forecast run, often the track changes significantly," said Mike Sprayberry, the state's Director of Emergency Management.
RELATED: Big Weather's hurricane emergency kit
The governor noted that although Hurricane Dorian may weaken, North Carolina knows from experience how dangerous a slow moving hurricane with heavy rains can be.
"Remember (Hurricane) Florence was a Category 1, but it caused days of deadly flooding due to heavy rain," Cooper said.
NCDOT has suspended construction along major evacuation routes.
Heavy rain and storm surge continue to be the main concern as Dorian continues its track.
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While it is too early to know the impact Dorian will have, it is never to early to prepare with the essential supplies.
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