This terrifying Weather Channel animation shows just how bad Hurricane Florence flooding could get

The Weather Channel has a message for anyone hoping to ride out Hurricane Florence: Don't.

The National Hurricane Service recently unveiled its storm surge inundation map, which shows how up to 9 feet of flooding could ravage North Carolina, even dozens of miles inland. But its bright colors don't convey the severity of the situation quite like the Weather Channel's augmented reality depiction.

Cars start floating in 2 or 3 feet of water, "so you've got no chance of escaping by vehicle," the Weather Channel's Carl Parker explains of depths that could hit much of eastern North Carolina. At 6 feet, the rushing waters pushed by wind become life-threatening for people and pets. At 9 feet, escape is nearly impossible. And it all looks a lot more terrifying in augmented reality:

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Florence dropped from a Category 4 to a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday night, and its first tropical-storm force winds arrived at North Carolina's Outer Banks around 9 a.m. Thursday, per The New York Times. Weaker winds won't dial down the severity of Florence's rainfall, which could total more than 40 inches in some spots. That, combined with the storm surges the Weather Channel warned about, make it clear that intense flooding is likely to be Florence's biggest threat.