People in Rochester are used to snow storms and the occasional blizzard, but for some who have relocated south Hurricane Florence is their first taste of that kind of natural disaster.

“People are definitely pulling out of there,” said Rochester native John O’Neill.

He now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and says buildings near him already are boarded up and cities like Wilmington look like a ghost town.

 “The shelves are empty of water and other staples so people are panicking,” said O’Neill. “I saw several gas stations completely empty and most of them if they had any gas had a long line at it.”

O’Neill and a friend drove down to Wilmington earlier this week where the storm has been forecasted to strike first. While down there he covered up buildings and helped people with last-minute storm preparation.

 “It was so different to see the place buttoned up. Tumble wheat rolling down the street practically,” said O’Neill.

Hurricane Florence is expected to hit the Carolina coast by Friday.