Initially a subtropical cyclone, it quickly organized, attaining hurricane status twice in a two-day period before weakening while remaining nearly stationary.

During the first week of September, a cold front moved off the East Coast of the United States and stalled over the Atlantic Ocean.

On September 11, an Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit temperature cross-section analysis indicated the system developed a warm thermal core; as a result, it was re-classified as Tropical Depression Ten.

The next day, increased vertical wind shear accelerated the weakening,[1] leaving its cloud pattern disorganized.

Cooler waters weakened the hurricane to tropical storm status by September 17 as its motion accelerated further due to the approaching trough.

Later that day, Florence was absorbed by the extratropical storm associated with the trough about 80 mi (130 km) south of Cape Race on the island of Newfoundland.

[1] Early in its duration, Hurricane Florence produced large swells that affected the East Coast of the United States.

Rip currents caused three deaths due to drowning in North Carolina, all in the southern portion of the state.