Hurricane Dorian officially a Category 5

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Here’s the latest on Hurricane Dorian

As of the 8 a.m. et update from the National Hurricane Center

LOCATION: ABOUT 35 MILES EAST OF GREAT ABACO ISLAND
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 160 MPH
MOVEMENT: W AT 8 MPH

Dorian is moving toward the west near 8 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. A slower westward motion is expected to continue for a day or two, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest.

The core is expected to move near or over parts of the northwestern Bahamas Sunday, then closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday.

“Dorian is now a major hurricane,” the National Hurricane Center said Friday.

Dorian is a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 160 mph. On Tuesday, the major hurricane was precluded to make landfall in Florida as a Category 4.

North Carolina has issued a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from Hurricane Dorian. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster also declared a state of emergency because of the threat of Hurricane Dorian.

Later on Saturday, the city of Charleston declared a state of emergency as well, to ensure the city is fully prepared for emergency operations. The Municipal Emergency Operations Center will be activated Sunday at 8 a.m. and will remain open as needed throughout the storm.

According to the National Weather Service, there is an increasing risk of strong winds and dangerous storm surge along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina during the middle of next week.

It looks like Dorian will ride off the Florida coast and turn up along the South Carolina coast by late Wednesday into Thursday as a Category 3 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is moving west at 8 mph. It is 255 miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida.

While some fluctuations in intensity are completely likely, Dorian is expected to stay a powerful hurricane over the next few days, according to the NHC.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Northwestern Bahamas, excluding Andros Island — a Hurricane Watch is in effect for Andros Island.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet.

On this track, the core of Dorian should move over the Atlantic well north of the southeastern and central Bahamas Friday night and Saturday, be near or over the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday, and be near the Florida east coast late Monday.

The core of Dorian is expected to be near or over part of the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday, then move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday.

Swells are likely to begin affecting the east-facing shores of the Bahamas, the Florida east coast, and the southeastern United States coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Flooding will be a major concern for Florida. Rainfall rates, combined with storm surge, could result in life-threatening flash floods.

It is still not known exactly where the storm will make landfall but forecasts believe it will likely be in Florida. The uncertainty, which is commonly portrayed in the forecast track’s “cone of uncertainty,” will shrink as the storm moves closer to shore.

Panovich said everyone living along the Southeast coast should be paying attention. The track could shift.

“Residents in these areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place and not focus on the exact forecast track of Dorian’s center,” according to the National Hurricane Center.

Regardless of where the storm ultimately makes landfall, heavy rain can be expected in across the Southeast next week, including in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

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