Millions are preparing for the potentially catastrophic impact of Hurricane Florence, as the category 4 storm continues its menacing path towards the Carolina coasts in the southeast United States.

Florence, as of Tuesday morning, was roughly 950 miles east-southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina, and approximately 450 miles south of Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).

That government centre, which tracks the speed and location of hurricanes in the Atlantic and Pacific, says that the hurricane is moving towards the US at a speed of 15 mph, with sustained winds at about 130 mph.

Forecasts for Florence predict the storm barrelling down on the southeastern US later this week, with tropical storm force winds impacting the coast as early as Wednesday evening before more significant conditions are seen Thursday.

“On the forecast track, the centre of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday, and approach the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina on Thursday,” the NHC said.

Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Show all 20 1 /20 Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Barmen protect their business from the storm and the opportunists Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Many supplies have run out as Hurricane Florence approaches in Nichols, South Carolina AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence seen from space on September 12 AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Students of East Carolina University's Coastal Storms class use anemometers to measure wind speeds at Union Point Park in New Bern, North Carolina AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Rescue workers are on the scene in James City, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Sixteen hours before Florence even hits land, the Neuse River bursts its banks and floods New Bern, North Carolina Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Volunteer rescue workers help three children out of their flooded home in James City, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A boardwalk is damaged in Atlantic Beach on North Carolina's coast Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Union Point Park in New Bern is closed Reuters Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A child sits in Conway High School, which is being used as an evacuation centre in South Carolina AFP/Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Locals voice their disapproval of the storm in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Volunteer rescue workers help children from their flooded home in James City Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast A man floats down his street in a metal tub after the Neuse River burst its banks in New Bern, North Carolina Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Electric lines are affected in Wilmington, North Carolina Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Floods in New Bern, North Carolina as Florence approaches Alamy Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Waves crash over a pier on Atlantic Beach in North Carolina as Hurricane Florence approaches AP Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Hurricane Florence is seen from the International Space Station as it churns in the Atlantic Ocean towards the east coast of the US NASA/Reuters Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast This NOAA/RAMMB satellite image taken on September 10, 2018, shows Hurricane Florence off the US' east coast in the Atantic Ocean AFP/Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast In this NOAA satellite handout image, Hurricane Florence is shown travelling west and gaining strength in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Bermuda on September 10, 2018 Getty Hurricane Florence hits the US East Coast Firefighters rescue people by boat in New Bern, North Carolina Getty

Officials have already issued evacuation orders for some of the areas expected to be hit the hardest, with more than a million fleeing the coastal regions. Governors in North and South Carolina, as well as Virginia and Maryland, have declared states of emergency — freeing up emergency funds to handle hurricane response and recovery operations.

It is likely that, wherever the hurricane comes ashore, the area will be devastated — and landfall is expected to be followed by days of torrential rain and damaging winds if the storm stalls over the Carolinas and Virginia.

The particulars of this storm — which is currently projected to hit the coast as a category 4 storm but could potentially strengthen before then — could mean this storm is of historic proportions.

“All of our computer models that we really like, that we say these are the accurate ones, are all lining up and saying this thing’s going to explode, this thing’s going to move West and then eventually Northwest,” Jon Cash, a meteorologist, told CBN News.