The Latest: American Airlines Cancels Flights Over Dorian
MIAMI (AP) – The Latest on Hurricane Dorian (all times local):
2:00 a.m.
Dorian has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane but continues to batter the Bahamas as it remains almost at a standstill.
At 2:00 a.m. EDT Tuesday, the ferocious storm’s center was about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island. It has barely budged from that position since Monday afternoon.
But its wind speeds lessened slightly to 120 mph (193 kph) with higher gusts. That was down from 130 mph (209 kph) Monday evening.
The hurricane is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The National Hurricane center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Tuesday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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11:50 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian has caused more than 1,300 flights to be canceled within, as well as into and out of, the U.S.
The flight tracking site FlightAware says the unusually high amount of cancellations on Monday were due mostly to the ferocious storm. At least another 1,000 cancellations are expected Tuesday, with at least half due to the closure of the Orlando International Airport, scheduled for 2 a.m. The site says a total of 50 to 100 flights canceled a day would be typical.
Hurricane Dorian remains stationary as it continues to pummel Grand Bahama Island.
The National Hurricane center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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11 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian remains stationary as it continues to pummel Grand Bahama Island.
At 10:50 p.m. EDT Monday, the ferocious storm’s center was about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island. It has barely budged from that position all day.
But its wind speeds lessened slightly to 130 mph (209 kph). That was down from 140 mph (225 kph) earlier in the evening.
The hurricane is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The National Hurricane center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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7:55 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian is grinding down hard and focusing its fury as it continues to maul the Bahamas.
At 8 p.m. EDT Monday, the ferocious storm’s center was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island. It has barely budged from that position all day.
But its wind speeds lessened slightly to 140 mph (220 kph). That was down from 155 mph (250 kph) earlier in the day.
On Sunday, Dorian blasted the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (297 kph).
The National Hurricane center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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7:25 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian has been inching eastward as it continues to maul the Bahamas.
At 7 p.m. EDT Monday, the ferocious storm’s center was about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island. That’s about 5 miles (8 kilometers) farther east than it was at 4 p.m.
But its wind speeds remained at 145 mph (230 kph), where they had been for much of the afternoon. That was down from 155 mph (250 kph) earlier in the day.
On Sunday, Dorian blasted the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (297 kph).
The National Hurricane center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
6:10 p.m.
American Airlines says it has canceled 375 flights through Wednesday due to Hurricane Dorian.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said flights were canceled because operations have been suspended at seven airports it flies to in Florida and the Bahamas. It said there could be additional issues and delays throughout the week at other East Coast airports.
To help people evacuate, American is capping single-leg, main cabin fares at $499 from all cities covered by travel alerts in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. It’s also waiving fees for bags and pets.
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6 p.m.
Walt Disney World will close early because of Hurricane Dorian.
Disney World officials said Monday that its four theme parks will close by 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
The theme park resort also plans to close its water park, miniature golf courses and its restaurants and shops at Disney Springs by 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Disney World officials say its resorts will remain open.
Its campground will close at 3 p.m. Tuesday and stay closed until the hurricane passes near the Florida coast. Guests at the campground will be relocated to other resorts at Disney World.
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5:50 p.m.
Florida’s busiest airport is going to close for Hurricane Dorian.
Officials at Orlando International Airport said Monday that commercial operations at the airport would cease at 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Airport officials say wind speeds at the airport could reach up to 45 mph (72.4 kph), preventing the safe operation of the airport’s people mover system.
Uncertainty about the hurricane’s path and the need to make storm preparations also contributed to the decision.
The airport had originally been set to close at 2 a.m. Monday, but airport officials rescinded that plan as the hurricane slowed down and its projected path shifted more north.
Some 47.7 million passengers traveled through the airport last year.
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5:25 p.m.
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis says at least five people have died in the Abaco Islands as Hurricane Dorian continues to pound the region as a Category 4 storm.
Minnis said Monday that there are also people in nearby Great Bahama island who are in serious distress. He said rescue crews will respond to calls for help as soon as weather conditions allow.
He said many homes and buildings have been severely damaged or destroyed.
He said: “We are in the midst of a historic tragedy.”
At least one storm-related death was reported earlier in Puerto Rico.
The storm remained stationary over Grand Bahama late Monday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (233 kph).
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4 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian’s ferocious winds have weakened just a bit as the storm hovers over the Bahamas and gives the islands a merciless pounding.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 4 p.m. EDT Monday that the Category 4 storm’s maximum sustained winds fell to 145 mph (233 kph) — down from 155 mph (250 kph) earlier in the day.
On Sunday, Dorian blasted the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (297 kph) and gusts up to 220 mph (354 kph), tying the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall.
The storm was expected to slowly move northeast, but on Monday afternoon it remained about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama island. It was about 105 miles (170 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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2:30 p.m.
Delta Air Lines says a flight from Atlanta to Nassau, Bahamas, was forced to turn back because of high crosswind speeds.
Delta says Flight 337, which had 42 customers on board, took off just before 10 a.m. EDT Monday because forecasts showed crosswinds within limits and Nassau’s airport was open. But wind speeds increased while the flight was en route, so it returned to Atlanta.
Delta said it would offer hotel rooms for those customers and rebook them on a Tuesday flight. The airline also said that all remaining Delta flights to or from the Bahamas on Monday have been cancelled.
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2 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian remains powerful and destructive as it hovers over Grand Bahama island — but is showing signs of slight weakening.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 2 p.m. EDT Monday that the Category 4 storm’s maximum sustained winds fell to 150 mph (240 kph) — down from 155 mph (250 kph) earlier in the day.
On Sunday, Dorian blasted the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (297 kph) and gusts up to 220 mph (354 kph), tying the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall.
The storm continued to creep westward at 1 mph (2 kph). Its center was located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama island. It was about 105 miles (170 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The center said Dorian is expected to move “dangerously close” to the Florida east coast late Monday through Wednesday evening and then move north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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12:30 p.m.
Georgia’s governor is urging coastal residents to flee ahead of Hurricane Dorian, citing the storm’s powerful winds and uncertain path.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters Monday in Savannah: “This is not one to play with.”
It was Kemp’s first news conference since late Sunday when he ordered mandatory evacuations in all six counties that make up Georgia’s 100-mile (161-kilometer) coastline.
Kemp said those living on Georgia’s barrier islands especially ought to flee, warning that emergency responders may not be able to reach them if causeways are underwater or blocked by debris.
Georgia officials plan to turn Interstate 16 linking Savannah and Macon into a one-way evacuation route Tuesday. The state Department of Transportation is asking motorists to consider alternate routes in anticipation of additional evacuation traffic from Florida and South Carolina.
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12:20 p.m.
Authorities in the Bahamas are urging people to find floating devices and grab hammers to break out of their attics if necessary as Hurricane Dorian unleashed massive flooding across Grand Bahama island.
Minister of State Kwasi Thompson told ZNS Bahamas radio station Monday that officials were getting a tremendous number of calls from people in distress as the powerful Category 4 storm slowed to almost a standstill.
Police Chief Samuel Butler urged people to remain calm and said rescue crews could not help anyone at the moment because of the storm’s maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph).
“We simply cannot get to you,” he said.
Dorian also is expected to cause a storm surge of up to 23 feet (7 meters) as ZNS radio station shared reports from callers saying some people were stuck on roofs and other areas.
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12:10 p.m.
Palm Beach International Airport is closed as Hurricane Dorian approaches the Florida coast, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is scheduled to close soon.
The Palm Beach airport closed Monday morning and the Fort Lauderdale airport announced it would do the same at noon. They are two of the three major airports serving South Florida.
Miami International Airport remained open, but warned travelers that it was expecting higher than normal traffic and to arrive early for their flights.
Dorian crawled to a near stop as a Category 4 storm with 155 mph (250 kph) winds in the Bahamas and was about 110 miles (180 kph) east of West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday at 11 a.m. EDT.
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11:25 a.m.
President Donald Trump has approved emergency declarations for Georgia and South Carolina due to Hurricane Dorian.
Trump approved the declarations on Sunday. The White House announced them Monday.
The declarations authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts.
Trump was briefed on the hurricane during a visit to FEMA headquarters in Washington on Sunday.
The president urged everyone in Dorian’s path to obey warnings and evacuation orders issued by local authorities, saying public safety “must always come first.”
Trump approved an emergency declaration for Florida on Friday.
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11 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian, while continuing to batter the Bahamas on Monday with life-threatening winds and storm surge, has weakened very slightly to a Category 4 storm.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said in an advisory at 11 a.m. EDT that Dorian’s maximum sustained winds are 155 mph (250 kph), which takes the extremely dangerous storm down one notch, from Category 5.
The storm was expected to continue inflicting devastation on Grand Bahama Island throughout Monday.
The center said the storm will move “dangerously close” to the Florida East Coast late Monday through Wednesday evening.
A hurricane warning along Florida’s east coast has been extended northward to the Flagler-Volusia county line. A hurricane watch has been extended northward to Altamaha Sound in Georgia.
The storm’s center was located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and about 110 miles (180 miles) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
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10 a.m.
Weather forecasters say Hurricane Dorian’s wind strength has dropped slightly Monday, though it continues to pummel the Bahamas with destructive wind and rain.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 10 a.m. EDT that the maximum sustained wind speed was most recently clocked at 160 mph (260 kph), down from 165 mph.
Still, Dorian remained an extremely dangerous, life-threateneing Category 5 storm, the center said.
The storm was crawling slowly west at 1 mph (2 kph), with its center 30 miles (50 kilometers) east-northeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and 115 miles (185 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
8:10 a.m.
A spokesman for Bahamas Power and Light says there has been a total blackout in New Providence, the archipelago’s most populous island.
Quincy Parker told ZNS Bahamas radio station on Monday morning that crews are working to restore power on the island that lies south of the path that Hurricane Dorian is expected to take.
He said the Bahamas Power and Light office in Abaco, which was hit by the Category 5 storm on Sunday, has been flattened.
“The reports out of Abaco as everyone knows,” Parker said as he sighed, “were not good.”
Parker said officials are anxious for the storm to pass so they can start rebuilding.
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8:10 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian is continuing its slow, devastating slog over the Bahamas.
Early Monday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the eye of the powerful Category 5 storm was virtually parked over Grand Bahama Island – crawling west at only 1 mph (2 kph) as it dumped rain and lashed the island with destructive winds.
The center said a “life-threatening storm surge” could raise water levels by as much as 23 feet (7 meters) above normal tide in parts of Grand Bahama Island.
At 8 a.m. EDT, the storm was located about 35 miles (50 kilometers) east-northeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and about 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Maximum sustained winds stood at 165 mph (270 kph).
The center says Dorian’s core will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island into Monday night. The hurricane will move “dangerously close” to Florida through Wednesday evening.
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7:10 a.m.
Nearly 1,000 flights have been canceled in Florida on Labor Day as Hurricane Dorian barrels toward the U.S. East Coast.
The flight tracking site FlightAware on Monday listed 990 cancellations into or out of airports in Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Palm Beach.
As of around 7 a.m. Monday, the center of the Category 5 storm was around 35 miles (56 kilometers) east-northeast of Freeport on Grand Bahama and 120 miles (193 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. Top sustained winds remain at 165 mph (265 kph).
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that although the official forecast does not show Dorian making landfall in Florida, the hurricane could deviate from that prediction and move very near or over the coast.
The center also said the likelihood was increasing of strong winds and dangerous storm surge along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina later this week.
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6:10 a.m
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says the eye of Hurricane Dorian is “wobbling” over the Bahamas’ northernmost island.
Still, residents of Grand Bahama are advised to remain in their shelters, as dangerous winds will pick back up once the eye passes.
As of around 6 a.m. Monday, the center of the storm was around 35 miles (56 kilometers) east-northeast of Freeport on Grand Bahama and 120 miles (193 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Top sustained winds remain at 165 mph (265 kph) and the Category 5 storm continues to inch west at just 1 mph (1.6 kph).
Dorian is expected to continue lashing the Bahamas on Monday, before moving closer to the southeastern U.S. coast Monday night through Wednesday evening.
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5:05 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian continues to lash the northern Bahamas as it crawls westward toward the southeastern U.S. coast.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the Category 5 storm’s top sustained winds remain at 165 mph (265 kph) Monday morning, down Sunday’s high of 185 mph (297 kph). The center of the storm is around 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Grand Bahama’s largest city, Freeport, and 115 miles (185 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The newest advisory indicates that the east-central coast of Florida may experience a “brief tornado” Monday afternoon or evening.
The government of the Bahamas has discontinued the hurricane warning for New Providence and Eleuthera, and the hurricane watch for Andros island.
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4:10 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian is crawling westward at just 1 mph (1.6 kph) as it lashes the northern Bahamas with destructive winds.
According to a 4 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the Category 5 storm’s top sustained winds have decreased to 165 mph (265kph).
The center of the storm remains around 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Grand Bahama’s largest city, Freeport. It’s also around 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The update says Grand Bahama is “being lashes incessantly with destructive hurricane-force winds.”
The hurricane is expected to continue battering Grand Bahama through Monday, before moving close to Florida’s coast Monday night through Wednesday evening.
3:10 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian’s eye is crawling over the Bahamas’ northernmost island, but residents are warned not to leave their shelters.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dorian’s top sustained winds have further decreased to 170 mph (275 kph). The Category 5′s movement has slowed to a 2 mph (4 kph) crawl westward.
The 3 a.m. Sunday advisory warns residents on Grand Bahama to remain in their shelters as the eye passes over, as winds will rapidly pick back up once the eye moves.
Residents of the islands where the hurricane first hit are also advised to remain in their shelters until conditions improve later Monday.
The center of the storm is around 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Grand Bahama’s largest city, Freeport. It’s also around 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
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2:10 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian has weakened slightly as it batters the northern Bahamas but the National Hurricane Center in Miami says the Category 5 storm still remains “extremely dangerous.”
As of 2 a.m. Monday, the storm had top sustained winds of 175 mph (280 kph) and was moving westward at 5 mph (7 kph). The storm is currently pounding the Bahamas’ northernmost island, Grand Bahama, and is centered about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of the island’s largest city, Freeport, and 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The hurricane is expected to continue battering Grand Bahama through Monday, before moving “dangerously close” to the Florida coast Monday night through Wednesday evening.
The hurricane center forecasts further weakening at a slow pace, but the hurricane is expected to remain “powerful” over the next few days.
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1:25 a.m.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says catastrophic storm-surge flooding is likely occurring on the Bahamas’ northernmost island, Grand Bahama.
The 1 a.m. Monday update continued to characterize the situation created by the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian as “life-threatening.”
The hurricane’s westward movement has slightly slowed down to 5 mph (7 kph). The center of the storm remains around 45 miles (70 kilometers) east of Freeport on Grand Bahama and around 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Residents of the Abacos and Grand Bahama islands are still advised to remain in their shelters. Hazards of wind gusts at 200 mph (320 kph) and storm surge 18 to 23 feet (5.5 to 7 meters) above normal tide levels are forecast to “cause extreme destruction” and continue for several hours.
12:05 a.m.
Destructive winds from Hurricane Dorian are spreading across the Bahamas’ northernmost island.
The National Hurricane Center characterized the situation as “life-threatening” in a midnight Sunday statement. Residents of Grand Bahama, where the hurricane has made landfall, are encouraged not to leave their shelters when the eye of the hurricane passes over.
Residents of the Abacos, where Dorian first hit, are advised to remain in their shelters until conditions subside later Monday.
The statement warns of wind gusts at 200 mph (320 kph) and storm surge 18 to 23 feet (5.5 to 7 meters) above normal tide levels that “will cause extreme destruction.”
The center of the storm is around 45 miles (70 kilometers) east of Freeport on Grand Bahama and around 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
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12 a.m.
In a slow, relentless advance, a catastrophic Hurricane Dorian keeps pounding at the northern Bahamas, as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded leaves wrecked homes, shredded roofs, tumbled cars and toppled power poles in its wake.
The storm’s top sustained winds have decreased slightly to 180 mph (285 kph) while it spun along Grand Bahama island early Monday in what forecasters say will be a daylong assault. Earlier, Dorian churned over Abaco island with battering winds and surf during Sunday.
There is little information from the affected islands, though officials expect many residents to be left homeless. Most people went to shelters as the storm approached, with tourist hotels shutting down and residents boarded up their homes.
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11:30 a.m.
Officials at Florida’s busiest airport say they are rescinding plans to close on Monday.
Orlando International Airport officials said late Saturday that the airport will remain open Monday because of the turn northward in Hurricane Dorian’s projected path.
The airport originally had planned to stop commercial flights at 2 a .m. Monday for passenger safety and to give the airport’s 25,000 workers enough time to secure their homes and be with their families.
The airport had 47.7 million passengers travel through it last year.
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11 a.m.
The National Hurricane Center says the northwest Bahamas is facing its strongest hurricane in modern times as Hurricane Dorian’s maximum sustained winds reach a monstrous 180 mph (285 kph).
The Category 5 storm has also grown in size, with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 45 miles (75 kilometers) from its center, located about 20 miles (30 kilometers) east-northeast of Great Abaco Island.
Dorian is moving west at 7 mph (11 kph) and is expected to slow in the next day or two, potentially prolonging the Bahamas’ weather misery.
The Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. EDT advisory that Dorian was strafing the Abacos Islands with life-threatening storm surge, destructive waves, and extremely powerful winds. Those conditions were expected to reach Grand Bahama Island later Sunday.
The hurricane was expected to move toward the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday. The Hurricane Center also issued a hurricane watch and storm surge watch for the east coast of Florida from north of Deerfield Beach to the line between Volusia and Brevard counties.
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10:15 a.m.
A coastal Florida county is ordering an evacuation of barrier islands, mobile homes and areas that are prone to flood because of Hurricane Dorian.
Palm Beach County issued the evacuation order beginning 1 p.m. Sunday after the county that includes West Palm Beach was placed under a tropical storm warning.
The official forecast path for Dorian curves the storm away from the area before it strikes land.
But the National Hurricane center says there are variables that could alter that path, and there is about a 50% chance West Palm Beach will get hurricane winds by early Wednesday.
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9:45 a.m.
Potentially devastating winds from Hurricane Dorian have strengthened yet again as the storm nears the Bahamas.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday that maximum sustained winds have increased to 175 mph (280 kph) from 160 mph (260 kph) as it approaches Great Abaco Island. It is moving west at 8 mph (13 kph).
The center said at 9:30 a.m. EDT that the Category 5 storm is 25 miles (40 kilometers) east-northeast of Great Abaco Island and about 210 miles (340 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Hurricane Center is warning of potentially devastating wind gusts of more than 200 mph (321 kph) and destructive waves of up to 20 feet (6 meters).
“These hazards will cause extreme destruction in the affected areas,” the center said, “and will continue for several hours.”
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8:55 a.m.
Weather forecasters say predictions that powerful Hurricane Dorian will slow to a crawl over the Bahamas complicates their outlook for the United States.
The National Hurricane Center says Dorian could nearly stall over Great Abaco Island or Grand Bahama Island for more than 24 hours starting late Sunday.
Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham says that would be catastrophic for the island chain. Dorian was upgraded to the most powerful designation of Category 5, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 160 mph (260 kph). Forecasters say ocean levels could rise up to 20 feet (6 meters) in parts of the northern Bahamas with the storm surge topped with huge waves.
Graham says the storm stalling also complicates the U.S. forecast. The time allows small changes in the winds that steer the storm, which means Dorian can still make landfall anywhere from Florida to North Carolina during the next five days.
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8 a.m.
Weather forecasters say Hurricane Dorian has intensified to a Category 5 storm, capable of inflicting catastrophic levels of destruction.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Sunday that Dorian’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 160 mph (260 kph), up from 150 mph (240 kph). It is moving west at 8 mph (13 kph)
“Devastating hurricane conditions” are expected in the Abacos Islands early Sunday, with conditions will spread across Grand Bahama Island later in the day, the center said.
In its advisory at 8 a.m. EDT, the center says the storm’s center is 35 miles (55 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island and 225 miles (360 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach.
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5:15 a.m.
As Hurricane Dorian moves closer to the northern Bahamas, rainfall estimates have gone up for the Caribbean archipelago and the coastal Carolinas.
At around 5 a.m. Sunday, the center of the Category 4 storm was around 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas and 255 miles (410 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The hurricane is still moving west at 8 mph (13 kph), with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph).
A tropical storm warning was issued between Deerfield Beach up to Sebastian Inlet on southern Florida’s east coast, while a tropical storm watch was issued between Deerfield Beach down to Golden Beach.
The National Hurricane Center’s rainfall estimates for the northwestern Bahamas were upped to 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters), with isolated incidents of 30 inches (76 centimeters), while estimates for the coastal Carolinas were between 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain, with isolated cases of 15 inches (38 centimeters).
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1:50 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian is moving ever closer to the northern Bahamas.
Early Sunday, the Category 4 storm was around 95 miles (150 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas and 280 miles (450 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The hurricane continues to move west at 8 mph (13 kph), with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph).
The core of the storm is expected to be near or over parts of the northwestern Bahamas later Sunday.
Millions of U.S. coastal dwellers from Florida to the Carolinas are keeping a wary eye on Dorian’s approach. Forecasters say many computer models indicate Dorian is expected to veer sharply northeastward and track up the Southeast seaboard, raising the risks of damaging winds and deadly flooding even if there’s no direct U.S. landfall.
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12 a.m.
A dangerous Hurricane Dorian is closing in on the northern Bahamas, threatening to batter the normally idyllic islands with fierce winds, pounding waves and torrential rain.
Tourist hotels closed, residents boarded up homes and officials hired boats to move people from low-lying areas to bigger islands as the powerful Category 4 hurricane approached. Many are hunkered down in schools, churches and other shelters awaiting the storm’s dreaded arrival later Sunday.
Meanwhile, millions of U.S. coastal dwellers from Florida to the Carolinas are keeping a wary eye on Dorian’s approach. Forecasters say many computer models indicate the storm is expected to veer sharply northeastward after passing the Bahamas and track up the Southeast seaboard, raising the risks of damaging winds and deadly flooding even if there’s no direct U.S. landfall.
11 p.m.
Forecasters say “extremely dangerous” Hurricane Dorian is moving closer to the northern Bahamas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Dorian remained a powerful Category 4 storm at 11 p.m. EDT Saturday and was about 125 miles (200 km) east of Great Abaco Island. Maximum sustained winds are being clocked at 150 mph (240 kph) and the storm is slowly crawling westward at 8 mph (13 kph).
The storm is about 310 miles (500 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Forecasts at the Miami-based center say Dorian’s core should be near or over parts of the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday. The storm is then expected to move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday amid forecast projections it would later track up the U.S. Southeast seaboard.
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8:10 p.m.
President Donald Trump is receiving briefings on Hurricane Dorian from the presidential retreat at Camp David.
Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Saturday evening that Trump and others in the administration are watching the storm very carefully.
“It’s an extremely dangerous hurricane, and while some are reporting changes in the track, anyone in the path of Hurricane Dorian should listen to state and local and first responders and public safety personnel and heed their warnings,” Pence said.
Pence says FEMA officials are reassessing where to deploy assets as they track the hurricane.
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8 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian is moving closer to the northwest Bahamas, still an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Dorian was located at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday about 155 miles (245 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island. That’s about 335 miles (540 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The storm is packing top sustained winds of 150 mph (245 kph) and moving to the west at 8 mph (13 kph).
Forecasters at the Miami-based center say the core of Dorian should be near or over parts of the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday and then move closer to Florida’s east coast late Monday through Tuesday.
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6:30 p.m.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning residents along the state’s Atlantic coast that “we’re not out of the woods yet.”
He says some forecast models still bring powerful Hurricane Dorian close to or even onto the Florida peninsula along with “life-threatening storm surge and hurricane force winds.”
DeSantis says that because of the uncertainty on Dorian’s path people need to stay vigilant.
In his words: “Floridians on the east coast need to be prepared. If you have a plan, stick to your plan. If you haven’t made preparations, please do so.”
The governor also says he spoke with President Donald Trump, who promised to provide any help Florida needs.
DeSantis spoke at a briefing at the Florida emergency operations center in Tallahassee.
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6:20 p.m.
Authorities in the Bahamas say Hurricane Dorian is expected to affect some 73,000 residents and 21,000 homes.
Government spokesman Kevin Harris tells The Associated Press that officials also have closed airports in The Abaco Islands, Grand Bahama and Bimini.
However, Harris says that the Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau will remain open during the passing of Dorian, along with smaller airports in the central and southern Bahamas.
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6:10 p.m.
Orlando International Airport will shut down Monday at 2 a.m. as Hurricane Dorian makes its way toward the Florida coast.
Officials at the airport say it is closing “out of an abundance of caution” and so the 25,000 people who work there can prepare for the storm.
The airport says travelers should check with their airlines for flight information and schedules.
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5:45 p.m.
Cumberland Island National Seashore and the Fort Frederica National Monument along Georgia’s seacoast have closed because of the threat posed by Hurricane Dorian.
Park officials say those areas will remain closed until after the storm has passed and will reopen once damage assessments have been made and the parks are deemed safe for visitors.
Cumberland Island is the largest barrier island off the coast of Georgia, encompassing more than 36,000 acres (14,500 hectares) of maritime forests, salt marsh and beaches. The island is also home to more than 9,800 acres (nearly 4,000 hectares) of congressionally designated wilderness
Fort Frederica National Monument is an historic area on St. Simons Island in Georgia.
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5 p.m.
Forecasters say Hurricane Dorian is expected to slam into parts of the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dorian is maintaining top sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) as of 5 p.m. EDT Saturday.
The storm is now centered about 170 miles (270 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island — or about 355 miles (570 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. It is crawling westward at 8 mph (13 kph) with a turn to the northwest expected in a day or two.
The hurricane center says a tropical storm watch has been issued for the east coast of Florida from Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet.
Forecasters say Dorian should move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday amid uncertainty over whether it would make a direct hit or skirt its way up the U.S. Southeast shoreline.
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4:40 p.m.
A Florida county is delaying its evacuation order from Sunday to Monday as Hurricane Dorian slows its forward speed across the ocean and its projected path shifts further from the state’s Atlantic coast.
Brevard County is now calling for evacuations to begin Monday morning, instead of Sunday. County officials say families in mobile homes or flood-prone areas and those with special needs or on barrier islands including areas to the south of Kennedy Space Center need to seek shelter elsewhere.
Public Safety Director Matt Wallace cautions that people should remain vigilant. Says Wallace, “This is not your government saying we’re out of harm’s way. This is still a killer storm.”
Martin County, north of Palm Beach, also announced it would evacuate certain areas as Dorian nears the coast.
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4:20 p.m.
The country’s two largest home improvement stores say they are gearing up for the storm and getting extra supplies to locations that could be impacted.
Lowe’s says it has shipped 1,500 truckloads of generators, flashlights and other supplies to stores in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company says it has more than 200 stores in those areas.
Home Depot also is shipping additional supplies to more than 150 stores in Florida and Georgia, and that number will likely be higher as the storm tracks north, the company says.
Hurricane Dorian, currently near the northwestern Bahamas, is expected to skirt the Southeast coastline near Florida and Georgia on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Both Lowe’s and Home Depot say that stores will stay open for as long as it is safe to do so.
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1:50 p.m.
A major, Category 4 hurricane is continuing to track toward the Bahamas, threatening the islands with devastating amounts of rain, dangerous storm surge, and extremely high winds.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says maximum sustained winds of powerful Hurricane Dorian stood at 150 mph (240 kph) as of about 2 p.m. EDT Saturday – just slightly less than the 157 mph wind speed that constitutes a catastrophic Category 5 storm.
Dorian’s center was 205 miles (325 kilometers) east of the Great Abaco in the Bahamas and 385 miles (625 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. It was expected to be near or over the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday.
The storm was traveling west at 8 mph (13 kph) and was expected to move near the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday.
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12:25 p.m.
Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency in South Carolina after the latest forecast for Hurricane Dorian increased the threat to the state.
The emergency declaration makes it easier to get federal help and let state agencies coordinate possible evacuations or other preparations.
No evacuations have been ordered. McMaster and emergency officials are monitoring the forecasts to see if they push Dorian farther out to sea. They plan a 5 p.m. Saturday conference call for a full update.
Hurricanes have caused coastal evacuations in South Carolina in each of the past three years.
The latest forecast says Dorian is expected to stay just off shore of Florida and skirt the coast of Georgia, with the possibility of landfall still a threat on Wednesday, and then continuing up to South Carolina early Thursday.
11 a.m.
The already powerful Hurricane Dorian continues to intensify as it moves west toward the Bahamas and the U.S. Southeast Coast.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says maximum sustained winds of the powerful Category 4 storm increased Saturday morning to 150 mph (240 kph) from 145 mph (230 kph).
As of about 11 a.m. EDT Saturday, Dorian was 260 miles (415 kilometers) east-northeast of the northwestern Bahamas and 415 miles (670 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The storm slowed slightly, traveling west at 8 mph (13 kph) from 12 mph.
The latest forecast says Dorian is expected to stay just off shore of Florida and skirt the coast of Georgia, with the possibility of landfall still a threat on Wednesday, and then continuing up to South Carolina early Thursday.
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9:35 a.m.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning Floridians not to let their guard down despite shifts in forecasts showing Hurricane Dorian possibly staying off the shore of the state. The cone of potential pathways still includes much of the state, and DeSantis says if residents are within that cone they should be prepared.
“Looking at these forecasts, a bump in one direction or the other could have really significant ramifications in terms of impact. If it bumps further east, that obviously is positive. If it bumps just a little west, than you’re looking at really, really significant impacts. Don’t make any assumptions, remain vigilant and be prepared,” DeSantis said at a briefing Saturday morning.
He added that even if Dorian doesn’t make landfall in Florida, the state could still be affected by winds and storm surge as it heads north along the East Coast.
“Understand, even if it doesn’t directly strike Florida, this is a big, powerful storm. You’re still looking at really significant storm surge on the east coast of Florida, you’re looking at major flooding events in different parts of the state,” he said. “You’re still looking at significant impacts even if the storm remains hugging the coast.
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7:55 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian is strengthening as it moves west toward the Bahamas and Florida.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says maximum sustained winds increased Saturday morning to 145 mph (230 kph), up from 140 mph (220 kph).
As of about 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, the Category 4 storm was 280 miles (450 kilometers) east of the northwestern Bahamas and 445 miles (715 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. The storm was traveling west at 12 mph (19 kph).
The hurricane center says the core of Dorian is expected to be near or over the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday and near the Florida east coast late Monday. Strong winds and life-threatening storm surge are also possible along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina by the middle of next week.
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5:15 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian continues its slow march toward the Bahamas, and, eventually Florida’s east coast.
As of 5 a.m. Saturday, the Category 4 storm was 305 miles (490 kilometers) east of the northwestern Bahamas and 470 miles (755 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The National Hurricane’s advisory says maximum sustained winds remained at 140 mph (220 kph), but the storm’s speed picked up slightly, moving west at 12 mph (19 kph), up from 10 mph (17 kph).
Hurricane-force winds still extend outward up to 30 miles (45 kilometers) from the storm’s center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 kilometers).
Hurricane conditions are expected in the northwestern Bahamas by Sunday, and the storm is expected to near Florida’s coast late Monday.
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2:15 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian is slowly moving closer to the Bahamas, en route to Florida’s east coast.
As of early Saturday, the Category 4 storm was 340 miles (545 kilometers) east of the northwestern Bahamas and 510 miles (820 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. According to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 a.m. advisory, maximum sustained winds remained at 140 mph (220 kph) as the storm continued to move west at 10 mph (17 kph).
The advisory says a slower westward motion will likely begin later Saturday.
Hurricane-force winds are extending outward up to 30 miles (45 kilometers) from the storm’s center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 kilometers).
Dorian is expected to near the Florida coast late Monday.
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12:30 a.m.
As Hurricane Dorian makes its way toward Florida’s east coast, authorities have begun to schedule mandatory evacuations.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Friday night that a mandatory evacuation for the county’s barrier island will take effect 8 a.m. Sunday. The order encompasses the Kennedy Space Center.
Martin County Fire Rescue Chief Bill Schobel said Friday that mandatory evacuations are scheduled to begin 10 a.m. Sunday for the county’s barrier islands.
The director of emergency services for Indian River County, Tad Stone, says officials will recommend a voluntary evacuation of the barrier island when hurricane warnings are issued.
Dorian gained Category 4 strength late Friday, clocking top sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph). It’s unclear where and how Dorian will hit Florida, but it’s expected to threaten the peninsula late Monday or early Tuesday.
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12:05 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian has gained fearsome new muscle as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm, bearing down on the Bahamas as it edges closer to Florida’s east coast.
Millions of people in Florida, along with the state’s Walt Disney World and President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, are in the potential crosshairs of the hurricane. Forecasters said Dorian gained Category 4 strength late Friday, clocking top sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph).
Forecasters say it’s still too early to tell whether Dorian would make a direct hit on the state’s east coast or inflict a glancing blow. They note some computer models predict a late turn to the north that would have Dorian hug the coast.
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8:30 p.m.
Forecasters say Dorian has become an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dorian gained new strength in recent hours and now has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (215 kph).
It says in an updated statement at 8:30 p.m. EDT Friday that hurricane hunter aircraft detected the change in strength recently.
The storm is centered about 400 miles (645 kilometers) east of the northwestern Bahamas.
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8 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian has gotten a little stronger in recent hours and more strengthening is expected.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dorian now has top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) as it edges closer to the northwestern Bahamas.
At 8 p.m. EDT Friday, the center of Dorian was about 400 miles (645 kilometers) east of the northwestern Bahamas. That’s about 575 miles (925 kilometers) east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
The hurricane is headed west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
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7:30 p.m.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging residents to closely monitor Hurricane Dorian as it approaches the state’s east coast.
DeSantis pointed out during a Friday evening briefing that no one had accurately predicted the final path of Hurricane Irma three days before it made its U.S. landfall in 2017. Dorian is expected hit Florida late Monday or early Tuesday.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting landfall near the center of the state, but no evacuations have been ordered yet. DeSantis says residents need to comply when mandatory evacuations take effect.
DeSantis said: “There is a danger to your life if you remain in these evacuation zones.”
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6:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he’s spoken with officials in Florida and Georgia ahead of the expected landfall of a potentially devastating Hurricane Dorian this weekend.
Trump said Friday he spoke with U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio of Florida, as well as with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, about preparations for the storm. Trump is traveling to Camp David in Maryland, where he will monitor the storm after he canceled his planned trip this weekend to Poland.
Trump says he will visit Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington on Sunday for a briefing before the storm is expected to make landfall.
(This item has been corrected to show that Rick Scott is currently a U.S. senator representing Florida.)
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5:10 p.m.
Forecasters say “extremely dangerous” Hurricane Dorian is edging closer to the northwestern Bahamas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Dorian remains a powerful Category 3 storm with top sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph). At 5 p.m. EDT, Dorian was centered about 420 miles (675 kph) east of the northwestern Bahamas. That’s also about 595 miles (960 kilometers) east of West Palm, Beach, Florida.
The government of the Bahamas has issued a hurricane warning for several islands in the northwest region of that island chain. Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area of the northwestern Bahamas by Sunday.
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4:55 p.m.
Officials at Florida’s largest airport say it will halt commercial flight operations early Monday in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian.
Officials at Orlando International Airport said in a statement Friday that airplanes will stop flying in and out of the airport starting at 2 a.m. Monday. Airport officials say that will give Orlando International Airport’s 25,000 workers enough time to secure their homes and be with their families.
The airport had 47.7 million passengers travel through it last year.
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4:45 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian, now a massive Category 3 hurricane, is moving toward the east coast of Florida.
As the storm approaches the U.S. and continues to gain strength, preparations are underway ahead of its pending landfall, expected sometime Sunday or Monday.
WSFA-TV reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving personnel and 18-wheelers loaded with supplies into position. One of the staging areas is Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery.
And, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says she gave approval Friday for the Alabama National Guard to send up to 50 support personnel to Florida, should the need arise.
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2:20 p.m.
AAA says there’s plenty of gas in Florida as Hurricane Dorian approaches. It’s just a matter of getting it to the state’s gas stations.
The auto and travel service group said Friday in a statement that retailers are having trouble keeping up with surging demand since gas stations can only hold so much fuel at a time.
AAA says Florida will continue to get shipments of gas as long as its ports stay open.
The primary delivery points are ports in Jacksonville, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale. From the ports, the fuel is delivered to gas stations by tanker trucks.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has ordered state troopers to escort the trucks to the gas stations.
Dorian strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane Friday, capable of inflicting devastating damage. It is expected to reach the Florida coast by late Monday or early Tuesday.
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2 p.m.
Hurricane Dorian has strengthened to a major Category 3 storm. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the hurricane is “extremely dangerous” and poses a significant threat to Florida and the northwestern Bahamas.
Dorian was located 445 miles (715 kilometers) east of the northwest Bahamas at 2 p.m. EDT on Friday. It had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) and was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
A hurricane watch was in effect for northwestern Bahamas. Hurricane conditions are possible by Sunday.
The center said additional strengthening is expected as the storm approaches the Florida peninsula.
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12:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump has declared an emergency in the state of Florida as it braces for the brunt of Hurricane Dorian .
Trump, whose Florida properties could sustain damage, has warned that Dorian could be an “absolute monster.”
In issuing the emergency declaration, Trump has ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local efforts responding to Dorian. The storm is expected to strengthen into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 form and slam the Florida coast late Monday or early Tuesday.
Trump canceled a weekend trip to Poland so he could stay in Washington to monitor the storm.
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11:30 a.m.
The sounds of hammers banging into plywood and cash registers dinging are echoing across the Bahamas as the archipelago that lies southeast of Florida rushes to prepare for Hurricane Dorian .
The Category 2 storm is expected to strengthen in its approach to the northwest Bahamas on Saturday and then move over or near that region Sunday.
Dorian was located 480 miles (770 kilometers) east of the northwest Bahamas at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday. It had maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph) and was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
A hurricane watch was in effect for northwestern Bahamas, where long lines formed at gas stations and grocery stores Friday. Supplies like canned food and bottled water were quickly disappearing in Grand Bahama Island.
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10:40 a.m.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis urges residents to listen to their local officials as they decide whether to evacuate before Hurricane Dorian hits the state early next week.
At a Friday briefing in Tallahassee, DeSantis said the storm’s uncertain path and the fact that the impacts from Dorian won’t be felt as early as initially anticipated means county emergency management officials are “taking the time to digest what it means and then make decisions.”
The governor said there will be evacuations. But he added that if people evacuate too soon, they could be heading into the path of the storm if the path changes.
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9 a.m.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says it’s concerned by Hurricane Dorian’s slow motion as it approaches Florida’s coast.
The Hurricane Center says slow movement by the storm as it hits Florida would put parts of the state “at an increasing risk of a prolonged, drawn-out event of strong winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall.”
The storm is expected to increase to a major Category 3 hurricane later in the day Friday and could hit the U.S. on Tuesday as a Category 4 storm.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency, clearing the way to bring in more fuel. Georgia’s governor has followed suit.
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8 a.m.
Hurricane Dorian has gotten a little stronger as it moves toward Florida’s East Coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm’s maximum sustained winds increased Friday morning to near 110 mph (175 kph). The Hurricane Center says more strengthening is forecast and Dorian is expected to become a major hurricane later in the day.
Dorian is centered about 255 miles (410 kilometers) east-northeast of the southeastern Bahamas and is moving northwest near 12 mph (19 kph).
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7:25 a.m.
With Hurricane Dorian heading toward Florida’s East Coast, Florida Power and Light has activated its emergency response plan.
The company says in a news release that it has secured some 13,000 employees and additional personnel to help restore power after the storm hits. They’re also working with utility companies across the country to pre-position crews and additional equipment in advance of Dorian’s landfall.
FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy said the company operates more than 48,000 miles (77,000 kilometers) of overhead powerlines across the state. The company says to prepare for power outages because of all the trees that surround the power lines.
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1:05 a.m.
Unsure where Hurricane Dorian is going to land over Labor Day weekend, many Florida residents faced a sense of helplessness as the storm approaches.
In a video he tweeted Thursday evening, President Donald Trump said Dorian could be an “absolute monster.”
The National Hurricane Center said the Category 2 storm is expected to strengthen into a potentially catastrophic Category 4 and slam into the U.S. on Monday somewhere between the Florida Keys and southern Georgia.
With the storm’s track still unclear, no immediate mass evacuations have been ordered.
Across much of the state, residents picked the shelves clean of bottled water and lined up at gas stations.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency, clearing the way to bring in more fuel. Georgia’s governor has followed suit.
