Dorian set to intensify to “dangerous hurricane”

Dorian set to intensify to “dangerous hurricane”
Earliest projections on tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Dorian

Storm 330 miles east of the southeastern Bahamas as of 5 p.m.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — As government agencies and residents prepare ahead of Hurricane Dorian, a Category 1 storm, expected to intensify into a dangerous hurricane tomorrow, the National Hurricane Center said Dorian was around 330 miles east of the southeastern Bahamas.

It was traveling northwest at 13 miles per hour.

The weather system had maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, with higher gusts.

In its 5 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center said interests in the northwestern and central Bahamas should monitor the progress of Dorian, noting that watches may be required for portions of the area tomorrow.

“A west-northwestward to westward motion is forecast to begin by Friday night and continue into the weekend,” read the advisory. “On this track, Dorian should move over the Atlantic well east of the southeastern and central Bahamas tonight and on Friday;  approach the northwestern Bahamas Saturday; and move near or over portions of the northwest Bahamas on Sunday.”

The Department of Meteorology issued a hurricane alert this morning for the islands of the northwest Bahamas, including Abaco, Bimini and The Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, New Providence and North Andros.

The alert remains in effect.

Hurricane Dorian’s projected path

According to the forecasters, the Category 1 hurricane is expected to strengthen over the next few days into “a major hurricane on Friday and remain an extremely dangerous hurricane through the weekend”.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles, the national hurricane center said.

“Life threatening” flash floods

Dorian is also expected to produce one to two inches over central Bahamas and three to five inches of rain in the northwestern Bahamas, and seven inches in isolation.

The next advisory is expected at 11 p.m.