In September of 2018, cities along the coast of the Carolinas prepared for Hurricane Florence, feared to be a category 4 storm. Swan Quarter, N.C, with an elevation of two feet, prepared for storm surges of 3-6 feet. Ocracoke Island, part of the Outer Banks, prepared for surges of ten feet or more. Despite a mandatory evactuation order, many permanent residents chose to stay behind. After Hurricane Florence made landfall overnight, residents on Ocracoke and mainland Hyde County woke to find that they were spared the most severe effects of the storm.
