30 ships ordered to flee US Navy's biggest base in Virginia as Hurricane Florence closes in

pulse 16:14 - 10 September 2018

"Our ships can better weather storms of this magnitude when they are underway," said US Fleet Forces Commander Adm. Christopher Grady said in a release.

The US Navy has ordered 30 ships, likely including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, to take to the seas as Hurricane Florence approaches from the Atlantic with 115 mph winds.
US Navy ships can survive rough seas, but they handle it better while sailing. If moored at a station, waves could damage them against the piers.
Hurricane Florence strengthened to a Category 3 storm around 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, when it recorded 115 mph winds.

The US Navy has ordered 30 ships, likely including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, to take to the seas as Hurricane Florence approaches from the Atlantic with 115 mph winds.

The Navy issued a "sortie code alpha" or its strongest possible order to move ships immediately in the presence of heavy weather.

US Navy ships weather rough storms all the time, and have been built to withstand hurricanes, but when moored to hard piers they're susceptible to damage or even grounding, should the mooring lines break.

Florence is poised to make landfall early Thursday somewhere around North and South Carolina, and is likely to strengthen as it approaches.