BECKLEY, W.Va. — Many motorists evacuating the Carolinas and Virginia because of Hurricane Florence stop at one of the West Virginia Turnpike’s three travel plazas.
Amy Hoefler was en route to Wisconsin from the Outer Banks of North Carolina when she stopped to speak with MetroNews affiliate WJLS.
“We drove for two days to get up to the Outer Banks to enjoy a quilting retreat with girlfriends. We were promptly told that we would be evacuating the next morning. We left, spent the night in Norfolk (Virginia) and now we are on our way home back to Wisconsin.”
Wednesday travelers had fair conditions through the Mountain State. The partly cloudy day with temperatures in the mid 70’s made it hard for some to believe the threat brewing at sea.
“It’s unfortunate that this is happening because right now it’s just a beautiful day,” Hoefler said. “I can’t imagine what we’re about to be seeing and I’m glad I’m heading away from it.”
Other travelers like Chris Valilly of Wilmington, North Carolina seemed to beat the congestion later in the day near the Ghent toll plaza near mile marker 30.
“We left at about 8:30 last night (Tuesday). We stopped in Greensboro and got a hotel room and slept and then going up to Indy to meet my sister. We haven’t really had any delays.”
Yvette Brockman lives in Charlotte, North Carolina but is originally from Ohio. She was thankful she had a place to flee Hurricane Florence.
“They just told us that it would be best to evacuate certain parts of North Carolina. I’m not used to the hurricane stuff so I’m just going back home.”
As of Wednesday morning, Florence was expected to slow down more by Thursday into Friday before projected official landfall early Saturday in either southern North Carolina or northern South Carolina.
Pete Davis contributed to this story.