The eyewall of the catastophic Category 5 Hurricane Dorian is currently pounding Grand Bahama Island with devastating winds, life-threatening storm surge and very heavy rainfall. It's currently moving west at 1 mph but still expected to gradually make a turn to the Northwest.
Dorian should move closer to Florida's east coast late tonight through tomorrow. Floridians should prepare for severe weather including destructive wind gusts, heavy rains, and potential flooding. Mandatory evacuations started Sunday morning in some counties and zones along Florida's east coast including parts of Palm Beach County. Click here to see if you're in an evacuation zone.
5AM WATCHES AND WARNINGS
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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
The government of the Bahamas has discontinued the Hurricane
Warning for New Providence and Eleuthera, and the Hurricane Watch
for Andros Island, in the northwestern Bahamas.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* Lantana to the Volusia/Brevard County Line
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for...
* North of Deerfield Beach to south of Lantana
* Volusia/Brevard County Line to the Mouth of the St. Mary's River
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Grand Bahama and the Abacos Islands in the northwestern Bahamas
* Jupiter Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County Line
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* North of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet
* Volusia/Brevard County Line to the Mouth of the St. Mary's River
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* North of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* North of Golden Beach to Deerfield Beach
* Lake Okeechobee
A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline,
during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a
depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather
Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at
hurricanes.gov. This is a life-threatening situation. Persons
located within these areas should take all necessary actions to
protect life and property from rising water and the potential for
other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other
instructions from local officials.
A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life-
threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the
coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours.
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and
property should be rushed to completion.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected within the warning area within 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Interests elsewhere along the east coast of Florida should continue
to monitor the progress of Dorian, as additional watches or
warnings may be required later today.
For storm information specific to your area in the United States,
including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office. For storm information specific to your area outside of the
United States, please monitor products issued by your national
meteorological service.
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
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At 500 AM EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was
located by NOAA Doppler radar near latitude 26.6 North, longitude
78.2 West. Dorian is moving toward the west near 1 mph (2 km/h). A
slow westward to west-northwestward motion is forecast during the
next day or so, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest and
north. On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane
Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island through much of
today and tonight. The hurricane will move dangerously close to the
Florida east coast tonight through Wednesday evening.
Maximum sustained winds are near 165 mph (270 km/h) with higher
gusts. Dorian is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Although gradual weakening is forecast,
Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next
couple of days.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the
center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140
miles (220 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 916 mb (27.05 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
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WIND: Catastrophic hurricane conditions continue on Grand Bahama
Island. Do not venture out into the eye, as winds will suddenly
increase after the eye passes.
Hurricane conditions are expected within the Hurricane Warning area
in Florida by late tonight or Tuesday. Hurricane conditions are
possible in the Hurricane Watch area on Wednesday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected within the Tropical Storm
warning area today and Tuesday, and are possible in the Tropical
Storm watch area by tonight.
STORM SURGE: A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels
by as much as 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels in areas of
onshore winds on Grand Bahama Island. Near the coast, the surge
will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Water levels
should very slowly subside on the Abaco Islands during the day.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause
normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters
moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the
following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated
areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...
Lantana to the Mouth of the St. Mary's River...4 to 7 ft
North of Deerfield Beach to Lantana...2 to 4 ft
The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
Surge-related flooding depends on the how close the center of
Dorian comes to the Florida east coast, and can vary greatly over
short distances. For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.
RAINFALL: Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall
totals through late this week:
Northwestern Bahamas...12 to 24 inches, isolated 30 inches.
Coastal Carolinas...5 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches.
Central Bahamas and the Atlantic Coast from the Florida peninsula
through Georgia...2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.
SURF: Large swells are affecting east-facing shores of the Bahamas
and the Florida east coast, and will spread northward along the
southeastern United States coast during the next few days. These
swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current
conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.
TORNADOES: A brief tornado is possible this afternoon into tonight
along the immediate coast of east-central Florida.
NEXT ADVISORY
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Next intermediate advisory at 800 AM EDT.
Next complete advisory at 1100 AM EDT.