"Extremely dangerous" Hurricane Dorian is now a considered a major hurricane maintaining maximum sustained wind speeds of 140 mph, and poses a "significant threat to Florida and the Northwestern Bahamas," according to the 11p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
With sustained wind speeds of 140 mph,Dorian is considered aCategory 4major hurricane. Category 3 has a wind speed thresholdof 111 to 129 mph.
Dorian strengthened to 130 mph winds as of8:30 p.m. Friday. Additional strengthening is expected, according to an advisoryfrom the National Hurricane Center.
Dorian is expected tomake landfall as a Category 4 storm, according to latestadvisoriesfrom the National Hurricane Center.
Winds are expected to reach 140 mph in 72 hours, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane.
Previously:Flood watch possible for Lee, Collier counties as storm approaches Florida's east coast
Forecasters said the biggest concern will be Dorian's slow motion when it is near Florida, bringing hazardous conditions to the state for a couple of days. Some locations could facea prolonged, drawn-out event of strong winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall, the Hurricane Center said.
- Location: 545 miles east of West Palm Beach
- Maximum sustained winds: 140 mph
- Movement: west-northwest at 10mph
- Next advisory: 5 a.m.
At 11 p.m., the eye of Hurricane Dorian was located545 miles east of West Palm Beach and 400 miles east of the Northwest Bahamas, where there is a hurricane watch in effect.
Dorian is moving toward the northwest near 10mph. A slower west-northwest to west motion could begin tonight and continue into early next week.
On this track, the core of Dorian should move over the Atlantic well north of the southeastern and centralBahamas today and tomorrow, be near or over the northwesternBahamas on Sunday, and be near Florida peninsula late Monday.
More:Track the storm's path and spaghetti models
Maximum sustained winds are 125 mph, with highergusts.
Dorian is considered an extremely dangerous major hurricane while it moves near the northwestern Bahamas and approaches Florida into early next week.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.
The estimated minimum central pressure from the NOAA and Air Force reconnaissance planes is 950mb.
What can Florida expect as Hurricane Dorian approaches?
What's a Category 4 hurricane?
Winds 130-156 mph.Catastrophic damage will occur:Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
- Overview: Dorian is forecast to strengthen to a category 4 hurricane as it approaches Florida's East Coast
- Timing: Residents of southern Brevard, Indian River and St. Lucie counties could expect to see the first appearance of storm-force winds somewhere between 8 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday. A decrease in speed could change landfall projections.
- Storm surge: The risk of dangerous storm surge and hurricane-force winds later this week and this weekend continues to increase in the central and northwestern Bahamas and along the Florida's east coast, although it is too soon to determine where these hazards will occur.
- Hurricane plans: Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place and not focus on the exact forecast track of Dorian's center.
- Rainfall: Heavy rains are expected to occur over portions of the Bahamas, Floridaand elsewhere in the southeastern United States later this week and into early next week.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for all 67 counties, urgingresidents to prepare with such supplies asfood, water and medicines for at least a week.
"The time to act is now,'' DeSantis said. "Do not wait until it's too late.''
Watches and warnings
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
- Northwestern Bahamas
A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 hours.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possiblewithin the watch area.
A watch is typically issued 48 hoursbefore the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-forcewinds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult ordangerous.
A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions areexpected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A tropical storm watch means that tropical storm conditions arepossible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Hazards affecting land
Rainfall:Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall accumulations this weekend into the middle of next week:
- Northwestern Bahamas and coastal sections of the Southeast United States...6 to 12 inches, isolated 18 inches.
- Central Bahamas...1 to 2 inches, isolated 4 inches.
This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.
Wind:Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area by Sunday, with tropical storm conditions possible by Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Surf:Swells are likely to begin affecting the east-facing shores of the Bahamas and the southeastern United States coast during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Storm surge:A dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in areas of onshore winds in the northwestern Bahamas. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
