World

Extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian shifts toward Carolinas

Published

August 31, 2019

The National Hurricane Center’s 11:00 a.m. ET update shows that catastrophic Hurricane Dorian has gained strength while taking a slight bump to the east on its track. Dorian is now located about 415 miles (670 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida and 260 miles (415 kilometers) east-northeast of the Northwest Bahamas.

The extremely dangerous hurricane is packing winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and is moving to the west at 8 mph (13 kph). The minimum central pressure is now 945 MB…27.91 inches.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Northwestern Bahamas excluding Andros Island – where a hurricane watch is in effect. The coast of Florida is still potentially in Dorian’s crosshairs, however, meteorologists remain uncertain whether Dorian would make a devastating direct strike on the state’s east coast or inflict a glancing blow.

Some of the more reliable computer models predicted a late turn northward that would have Dorian skirt the Florida coast. Regardless of the slight shift in track, some fluctuations in intensity are likely, but Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next few days, says the National Hurricane Center.

NHC

[url=http://wwwhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hurricane-dorian-strengthens-shifts-towards-carolinas-florida-forecast-avoid-direct-n1048601 t=_blank]Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning residents to remain vigilant, cautioning that the Category 4 storm could still change course again and that even if does not make landfall in the state it could bring dangerous storm surges and flooding.

“As you’re looking at these forecasts, a bump in one direction or the other could have really significant ramifications in terms of impact,” DeSantis said at a Saturday morning news conference. “If it bumps just a little west, then you’re looking at really, really significant impacts.”

The latest forecast track has narrowed the “Cone of Concern,” as Miami-Dade County no longer faces the threat of the center of the hurricane. Parts of Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, remain in the possible path of a Dorian landfall, according to the NHC.

People in Florida should continue to pay close attention to local advisories. Also, keep in mind that Hurricane Dorian is a very slow-moving storm and any weather events will cover several days.

In this article:11 am update, Carolinas, catastrophic damages, category 4, hurricane Dorian

Written By Karen Graham

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.