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Hurricane Dorian Updates: Category 5 Storm Batters Bahamas Hurricane Dorian Updates: Now a Category 4, Storm Batters Bahamas
(about 1 hour later)
Hurricane Dorian remained a catastrophic Category 5 storm early Monday morning as it moved over the Bahamas, although its winds weakened slightly, to 165 miles an hour. Gusts blew at up to 200 m.p.h. Hurricane Dorian ground nearly to a halt with its eye just north of Grand Bahama Island, which was pummeled by the storm. Forecasters said the hurricane was inching west at just 1 m.p.h. and was about 110 miles off the coast of Florida as of 11 a.m.
The storm ground nearly to a halt over Grand Bahama Island, about 120 miles off the coast of Florida, slowing to just 1 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center. As it continued to thrash the Bahamas, Louby Georges, the director of international affairs for Human Rights Bahamas, said at least one friend had run out of drinking water and others had left tearful voice messages for loved ones.
Forecasters also inched the storm’s much-monitored cone of uncertainty eastward, sparing parts of Orlando from the center of the hurricane’s projected path. While forecasters are predicting that the eye may not reach the Florida coast, they cautioned that it still could. Either way, strong winds are all but certain to disrupt life in that region. Dozens of worried families posted pleas for information about their loved ones on social media after losing contact for hours at the height of the storm. The weather center advised people on the island to remain in their shelters until conditions improved, warning that it could take several hours.
[Hurricane Dorian slammed into the Bahamas and continued to threaten Florida.]
Some South Florida residents also could begin to feel tropical-storm-level winds (at least 39 m.p.h.) as soon as Monday morning, and a hurricane warning has been issued for about 140 miles of Florida’s east coast, from the Jupiter inlet to the northern edge of Brevard County.
As of Monday morning, Hurricane Dorian continued to thrash the Bahamas, where Louby Georges, the director of international affairs for Human Rights Bahamas, said at least one friend had run out of drinking water and others had left tearful voice messages for loved ones.
Dozens of worried families posted pleas for information about their loved ones on social media after losing contact for hours at the height of the storm. The weather center advised people on the island to remain in their shelter until conditions improved, warning that it could take several hours.
Videos on social media showed water rising around houses and devastating scenes of decimated homes, with roofs sheared from buildings and insulation strewn about the floor.Videos on social media showed water rising around houses and devastating scenes of decimated homes, with roofs sheared from buildings and insulation strewn about the floor.
Despite its downgrade, forecasters continued to warn that hurricane conditions were expected across Florida and the southeastern coast of the United States. A hurricane warning was extended to about 180 miles of the Florida coast on Monday.
Forecasters on Monday also moved the storm’s much-monitored cone of uncertainty slightly eastward, sparing parts of Orlando from the center of the hurricane’s projected path. But they emphasized that only a minor change could bring the storm onto the coast.
“It cannot be stressed enough that only a small deviation to the left of the N.H.C. forecast could bring the core of the extremely dangerous hurricane onshore of the Florida east coast within the hurricane warning area,” a forecaster wrote in the 11 a.m. briefing.
Even if the hurricane does not reach the Florida coast, strong winds are all but certain to disrupt life in that region. Much of Florida’s eastern coast is also susceptible to dangerous storm surges, and tropical gusts up to 57 m.p.h. were expected to reach parts of South Florida overnight.
[Hurricane Dorian slammed into the Bahamas and continued to threaten Florida.]
Officials in South Carolina and Georgia are growing increasingly anxious about the storm’s path toward their coastlines and have ordered many costal residents to evacuate. Hurricane Dorian is now projected to approach those two states as a major hurricane, and strong winds could reach Georgia by Tuesday.Officials in South Carolina and Georgia are growing increasingly anxious about the storm’s path toward their coastlines and have ordered many costal residents to evacuate. Hurricane Dorian is now projected to approach those two states as a major hurricane, and strong winds could reach Georgia by Tuesday.
“We know that we cannot make everybody happy, but we believe that we can keep everyone alive,” Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina said at a news conference, announcing that residents in portions of eight counties must begin evacuating by noon on Monday.“We know that we cannot make everybody happy, but we believe that we can keep everyone alive,” Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina said at a news conference, announcing that residents in portions of eight counties must begin evacuating by noon on Monday.
North Carolina’s governor also declared a state of emergency. State officials warned that heavy rain could cause life-threatening flooding between Wednesday night and Friday and that there was a possibility for tornadoes.North Carolina’s governor also declared a state of emergency. State officials warned that heavy rain could cause life-threatening flooding between Wednesday night and Friday and that there was a possibility for tornadoes.
[Along Hurricane Dorian’s tortured path, millions are united in fear.][Along Hurricane Dorian’s tortured path, millions are united in fear.]
Norma Lemon, the owner of a Caribbean-themed restaurant on South Carolina’s coast, has evacuated three times in the last few years because of several hurricanes. She said on Sunday that she was near tears at the thought of leaving her restaurant in Mosquito Beach again.Norma Lemon, the owner of a Caribbean-themed restaurant on South Carolina’s coast, has evacuated three times in the last few years because of several hurricanes. She said on Sunday that she was near tears at the thought of leaving her restaurant in Mosquito Beach again.
“It just feels like here we go again with this one, like it’s not going to be good, you know?” she said.“It just feels like here we go again with this one, like it’s not going to be good, you know?” she said.
South Carolina could receive between 5 and 10 inches of rain, with isolated areas inundated with up to 15 inches.South Carolina could receive between 5 and 10 inches of rain, with isolated areas inundated with up to 15 inches.
As Hurricane Dorian’s outer rain bands moved over South Florida, the barrier island of Palm Beach, which is in a mandatory evacuation zone, felt eerily calm on Monday morning. Roads were empty. Businesses were closed and shuttered.As Hurricane Dorian’s outer rain bands moved over South Florida, the barrier island of Palm Beach, which is in a mandatory evacuation zone, felt eerily calm on Monday morning. Roads were empty. Businesses were closed and shuttered.
Still, a small crowd gathered along the beach, staring in awe at the wild gray waves crashing onto the shore.Still, a small crowd gathered along the beach, staring in awe at the wild gray waves crashing onto the shore.
“I just wanted to take a look at this — it’s crazy,” said Brandon Atkinson, 40, a West Palm Beach resident. “You admire it for the beauty but know its devastation.”“I just wanted to take a look at this — it’s crazy,” said Brandon Atkinson, 40, a West Palm Beach resident. “You admire it for the beauty but know its devastation.”
A handful of young surfers braved the water, despite warnings from the authorities.A handful of young surfers braved the water, despite warnings from the authorities.
“We’re not worried about the storm,” said one of them, adding that he had driven south from Vero Beach, Fla., and planned to continue driving south once the waves in Palm Beach got too big. “We’re probably going to surf all day.”“We’re not worried about the storm,” said one of them, adding that he had driven south from Vero Beach, Fla., and planned to continue driving south once the waves in Palm Beach got too big. “We’re probably going to surf all day.”
He encouraged his friends to join him, and they hopped onto the sand. “Come on — let’s surf,” he said.He encouraged his friends to join him, and they hopped onto the sand. “Come on — let’s surf,” he said.
Tropical-storm winds could arrive in West Palm Beach as early as Monday afternoon.
In preparation for the storm, Mr. Atkinson and his family lowered their air-conditioner to 67 degrees, a strategy to keep their home as cool as possible before the power goes out, which they fully expect. Inside the West Boynton Park and Recreation Center in Lake Worth, Fla., PeggyAnn Cromartie sat with a pile of knitting as Dorian’s rains pelted the shelter outside.
“We’re local,” Mr. Atkinson said. “We’re just going to ride it out.” “I wanted to be safe, because you never know what may happen,” said Ms. Cromartie, 72, of Pahokee, Fla. “It’s not really scary, but I thought about the flooding or the lights going out.”
She arrived on Sunday afternoon with her dog, Garfield, a 5-year-old Maltese, and shared half of a queen size air mattress with another evacuee. Dinner was a hot meal of chicken, rice, carrots and a bread roll, Ms. Cromartie said, and breakfast an assortment of cereal, bagels and coffee.
By Monday morning, the pet-friendly shelter was housing 75 people and 114 animals, including 75 dogs, 28 cats and several birds and rabbits. A sign posted outside warned that no livestock, reptiles or vicious dogs would be accepted. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, someone tried to come in with a chicken, said Yleana Arias, one of the shelter’s managers.
Randye Carol Pollack, 68, of Boynton Beach, Fla., brought her parakeet, Sweet Pea, and spent the night in a hard plastic chair by his cage, “to keep him company.”
“I didn’t sleep at all,” she said. She covered the cage with two blankets to keep him warm and said she was grateful for a place that would take them both.
Ms. Pollack planned to pass the time with a transistor radio and a magazine. Ms. Cromartie brought her knitting, crochet and her Bible.
Ms. Cromartie said she would pray for the Bahamas.
“God is very good,” she said. “He’ll see us through.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has said for days that coastal residents should expect to lose power.Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has said for days that coastal residents should expect to lose power.
Florida Power and Light Co., which serves about 10 million residents, announced that it had assembled 16,000 employees and contractors and asked them to be ready to respond to outages around the state.Florida Power and Light Co., which serves about 10 million residents, announced that it had assembled 16,000 employees and contractors and asked them to be ready to respond to outages around the state.
“We’ve assembled the largest prestorm restoration work force in company history,” Eric Silagy, the company’s chief executive and president, said in a statement.“We’ve assembled the largest prestorm restoration work force in company history,” Eric Silagy, the company’s chief executive and president, said in a statement.
He added that the team would “work around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible.”He added that the team would “work around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible.”
As of Monday morning, there were no substantial power failures in the state.As of Monday morning, there were no substantial power failures in the state.
Anticipating Dorian’s movements has been unusually difficult for forecasters.Anticipating Dorian’s movements has been unusually difficult for forecasters.
As a newborn hurricane, Dorian hit the Virgin Islands but largely spared Puerto Rico.As a newborn hurricane, Dorian hit the Virgin Islands but largely spared Puerto Rico.
What our photographers are seeing as Florida braces for a major hurricane.What our photographers are seeing as Florida braces for a major hurricane.
Patricia Mazzei, Elisabeth Malkin and Richard Fausset contributed reporting. Elisabeth Malkin and Richard Fausset contributed reporting.