Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach brace for flooding as Hurricane Florence nears

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- The coastal towns of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach are prepared as they can be now that the outer bands of Hurricane Florence are hitting.

Business owners in downtown Wilmington have closed and boarded up their storefronts and for good reasons.

The water levels of the Cape Fear River are expected to rise and cause flooding.

Wrightsville Beach has been closed since the mandatory evacuation went into effect 8 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Wrightsville Beach police are stationed in front of the drawbridge, which leads into the island, and will not allow anyone in.

Homes and businesses along the intracostal waterway are also boarded up.

Heavy rain has fallen and there have been wind gusts up to 20 miles per hour so far.

But in the midst of the storm, two dolphins managed to make an appearance.