The National Hurricane Center declared Hurricane Dorian, currently headed toward Florida and the Bahamas, as a category 5 storm on Sunday morning.
The NHC announced that Dorian’s maximum winds have reached almost 175 miles per hour with gusts over 200 miles per hour. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina have all declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
Dorian is reaching the northern islands in the Bahamas. The NHC warned residents there to take “immediate shelter.”
The eyewall of #Dorian is reaching the Abaco Islands. Residents there should take immediate shelter. Maximum winds have increased to near 175 mph with gusts over 200 mph. Extreme winds and storm surge will continue for several hours. https://t.co/PO7fEoxAde pic.twitter.com/83lndMA1WP
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 1, 2019
Many of the most recent projections have this monster staying off shore; may it be so.
Yikes. 200 mph is cow-flying territory.
Word.
This storm is incredibly dangerous. About the only thing it isn’t is radioactive…yet.
I hope everyone stays safe and gets out of the way of this thing.
If Dorian was a tornado, it would now be classed as F-4 - but with a duration measured in hours and not minutes.
Although the GOP has cheapened this phrase - my sincerest thoughts & prayers go out to the people in the Bahamas experiencing a direct hit from this monster - they will need help to recover from this disaster.
I also hope this storm stays offshore of the mainland US and that people heed the warnings - the winds, waves and rain will be dangerous even if the storm stays at sea.