| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 Hurricane Florence near peak intensity south of Bermuda on September 11 | |
| Formed | August 31, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 18, 2018 |
| (Extratropical after September 17) | |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 150 mph (240 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 937 mbar (hPa); 27.67 inHg |
| Fatalities | 24 direct, 30 indirect |
| Damage | $24.23 billion (2018 USD) |
| Areas affected | West Africa, Cape Verde, Bermuda, East Coast of the United States (especially the Carolinas), Atlantic Canada |
| Part of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Florence was a long-lived and powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic damage in the Carolinas, primarily as a result of freshwater flooding due to prolonged torrential rains. Forming as a tropical depression near Cape Verde on August 31, Florence initially tracked westwards while gradually intensifying, attaining hurricane strength on September 4. Shortly thereafter, the storm unexpectedly rapidly intensified and attained an initial peak intensity of 115 knots (130 mph; 215 km/h) before weakening rapidly due to adverse environmental conditions.