Dorian continues to slowly trek up Florida's east coast
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Dorian is scraping the central part of Florida's east coast as it tracks offshore.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said in their 5:00 a.m. advisory that Dorian is now about 90 miles east of Daytona Beach, Florida. Maximum sustained winds have weakened a bit to 105 mph. The Category 2 hurricane is moving to the north-northwest at 8 mph.
The core of Dorian will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast and the Georgia coast through Wednesday night. The center of Dorian is forecast to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning.
Tuesday evening, heavier rain bands were blowing through Volusia and Seminole counties, with occasional wind gusts that were over tropical storm strength.
Dorian was far less intense Tuesday than over the weekend when it battered the Bahamas. The much-watched cone of probability showed the storm forecast to remain off the state’s east coast as it headed north toward the Carolinas.
Dorian virtually stalled over the northwestern Bahamas in recent days as a Category 5 storm that caused widespread devastation in parts of the island archipelago. It was the most powerful hurricane on record ever to hit the Bahamas. At least five deaths were reported there though the full scope of the disaster still remains unknown.
ACTIVE WATCHES AND WARNINGS:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:
- Jupiter Inlet to South Santee River, SC
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:
- North of Surf City, NC to Duck, NC
- Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds
- Neuse and Pamlico Rivers
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for
- North of Savannah River to Surf City, NC
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
- North of Ponte Vedra Beach FL to Edisto Beach, SC
- North of South Santee River, SC to Duck, NC
- Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Grand Bahama and the Abacos Islands in the northwestern Bahamas
- North of Ponte Vedra Beach to Savannah River
- Sebastian Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County line
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- The North Carolina/Virginia border to Chincoteague, VA
- Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point southward
The NHC says a dangerous storm surge will raise water levels. Peak surges between the Flagler/ Volusia County line and Cape Lookout, North Carolina may reach four to seven feet. They could reach three to five feet between Jupiter Inlet and the Flagler/ Volusia County line.
HOW YOU CAN PREPARE FOR DORIAN
See what schools are closed HERE.
See active evacuation notices HERE.
Find the nearest emergency shelter HERE.
See the active curfew times HERE.
For the latest on Dorian, visit ORLANDOHURRICANE.com.
You can also monitor the tropics with the Fox 35 Weather App.