...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE DORIAN EXPECTED TO HIT THE ABACO ISLANDS AND GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND LATER TODAY...
...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE...HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED...
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Northwest Bahamas excluding Andros Island. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Andros Island. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect along the east Florida coastline from north of Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from north of Golden Beach to Deerfield Beach. Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area across the Northwest Bahamas later today, with tropical storm winds beginning within the next few hours. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning area on Monday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area by Monday night. Interests elsewhere in South and Central Florida should continue to monitor the progress of Dorian. Additional watches or warnings may be required for portions of the east coast of Florida today.
Hurricane Dorian is centered as of 5 a.m. EDT about 70 miles (110 km) east of Abaco Island and about 255 miles (410 km) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. Dorian is moving toward the west near 8 mph (13 km/h), and a slower westward motion should occur for the next day or two, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest. On this track, the core of Dorian should be near or over portions of the northwestern Bahamas later today and tonight, and should move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night.
Maximum sustained winds are near 150 mph (240 km/h) with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km). Dorian is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely, but Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next few days.
A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 15 to 20 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall totals through late this week:
Northwest 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.
The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 11 a.m. EDT with an intermediate advisory at 8 a.m. EDT - www.hurricanes.gov
