This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49515022

The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
Hurricane Dorian: 'Extremely dangerous' storm bears down on Florida Hurricane Dorian: 'Extremely dangerous' storm bears down on Florida
(30 minutes later)
Hurricane Dorian is expected to strengthen into an "extremely dangerous" storm as it heads towards the US mainland, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned. Hurricane Dorian will strengthen into an "extremely dangerous" storm as it barrels towards the US, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has said.
Dorian is currently a category two hurricane but is expected to become a category three later on Friday. Dorian is currently a category two hurricane, but is expected to become a category three later on Friday.
The storm is expected to hit somewhere between Florida and southern Georgia, possibly late on Sunday, the NHC says. The storm is expected to hit Florida as a 130mph (209km/h) category four.
By then, it could be even stronger with winds of more than 130mph (209km/h). Forecasters warn it could be the state's deadliest storm since category five Hurricane Andrew killed 65 people and destroyed 63,000 homes in 1992.
The powerful storm is moving slowly - at just 12 mph (19 km/h) as it crawls north-west across the ocean surface. Hurricanes tend to get stronger as they move over warm water like that off the Florida coast. Dorian is projected to make landfall on Monday, which is Labor Day, a public holiday in the US.
Dorian could make landfall on Monday, which is Labor Day - a public holiday in the US. It is widely expected to have reached category four by then, the second-highest rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale and capable of causing "catastrophic damage". The storm is moving slowly - at just 12mph (19km/h) as it crawls north-west across the ocean surface.
Some forecasters have drawn comparisons to Hurricane Andrew, a notorious 1992 category five hurricane which devastated Florida. Hurricanes tend to get stronger as they move over warm water like that off the Florida coast.
President Donald Trump was among those making the comparison, and warned Dorian "could be an absolute monster". He cancelled a planned trip to Poland because of the storm, sending Vice-President Mike Pence instead.
The NHC is warning of an "increasing likelihood of life threatening storm surge" along the Florida coast over the coming days. It has also warned that the heavy rain falling in the Bahamas "may cause life-threatening flash floods".
Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the whole of the state.
He told residents it was "important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely", advising them to stock up on at least seven days' worth of food.
The warnings come after the eye of the storm missed the main island of Puerto Rico, sparing it significant damage, as it headed north-west on Thursday.
What's the forecast?What's the forecast?
As of Friday morning, the storm was packing winds of 105mph and has been predicted to bring up to 12in (30cm) of rain when it reaches land. It is currently some 260 miles (420km) north-east of the south-eastern Bahamas. As of Friday morning, the storm was packing winds of 110mph, just shy of category three.
Dorian grazed the edge of the main island of Puerto Rico but the US territory's smaller islands, Vieques and Culebra, have been battered by heavy rain and high winds. The NHC warned in a briefing that Dorian could cause "incredibly catastrophic damage" with life-threatening storm surges of up to 9ft (2.7m).
According to the latest update, it should pass "well east" of the south-eastern and central Bahamas on Friday, before moving over or near parts of the north-western Bahamas on Sunday. The hurricane was expected to drop up to 12in (30cm) of rain on the coastal US, with some areas getting as much as 15in.
Forecasters have warned of life-threatening flash flooding and rip-current conditions as the storm moves across the region. The NHC has issued a hurricane watch for the north-western Bahamas, warning that heavy rain "may cause life-threatening flash floods".
Dorian earlier this week grazed the US territory of Puerto Rico, battering its smaller islands, Vieques and Culebra, with heavy rain and high winds.
How are residents preparing?
Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the whole state.
He told residents: "We urge all Floridians to have seven days worth of food, medicine and water.
"This is potentially a multi-day event where it will churn slowly across the state. That obviously creates a whole host of issues."
The governor has activated 2,500 National Guard troops, with another 1,500 on standby.
Shoppers in Florida have been queuing around the block to snap up supplies such as medication and fuel.
People have been asked to bring their pets with them in case of evacuation, and on social media, the names of hotels that accept pets are being shared.
What is President Trump doing?
President Donald Trump warned Dorian "could be an absolute monster". He cancelled a planned trip to Poland because of the storm, sending Vice-President Mike Pence instead.
Mr Trump's critics have argued that he is only taking the hurricane seriously now because it is threatening white people on the US mainland.
A Democratic congressman, Don Beyer of Virginia, told CNN that the Republican president took notice because "Florida is not an island full of people of colour".
In Canada, former Prime Minister Kim Campbell stirred controversy by tweeting that she hoped for "a direct hit on Mar-a-Lago", the president's Palm Beach club house.
She later apologised.
Are you in the affected region? What preparations are you making for Hurricane Dorian? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in the affected region? What preparations are you making for Hurricane Dorian? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
Or use the form below:Or use the form below: