The depression was moving towards the northwest at 8 mph (13 km/h) and the same general motion was expected as a large upper-level low situated over the system was forecast to move towards the northeast, leading to Eleven moving around the periphery of the low. The depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Florence the next morning. However, outflow from the storm remained poor as the upper-level low was still interacting with the center of Florence and the storm was still not completely tropical but there was slight improvement. By the afternoon of November 4, Florence completed its transition into a tropical cyclone and deep convection developed, causing the storm to quickly intensity; with winds increasing by 20 mph (30 km/h) in a 6-hour time period. The trend in intensification was forecast to continue and Florence was forecast to become the second hurricane of the season within 12 hours. Late on November 4, Florence was upgraded to a hurricane as a solid area of deep convection developed around the center of circulation. An eye feature also appeared on infrared satellite but was not associated with significant strengthening. Florence slowly intensified as the eye persisted and the structure slightly improved. By the morning of November 6, the eye became less defined and the cloud tops around it warmed. The storm also shifted its forward motion northward as the trough located to the southeast began to move towards the east, moving the steering currents with it. As the low moved further to the east, steering currents in the area of Florence weakened, leading to the storm stalling late on November 6. By the morning of November 7, the eye began to reappear and the storm turned towards the northwest and the forward motion began to rapidly increase. Later that morning, Florence had developed a large, 35 to 40 mi (55 to 65 km/h) wide eye and the forward motion continued to increase. The intensification continued and by the afternoon hours, Florence was upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). A strong extratropical cyclone located to the north of Florence was causing the storm to move towards the northwest at a rapid pace of 30 mph (48 km/h). Operationally, Florence was reported to have peaked at that intensity, but post-season analysis determined that the storm reached its peak intensity just short of major hurricane—a storm with winds of 111 mph (178 km/h) or higher—status late on November 7. By the morning of November 8, Florence weakened slightly to Category 1 status.