hurricane update from NHC Hurricane dorian advisory 14

...EYE OF CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE DORIAN CRAWLING OVER THE ABACOS ISLANDS IN THE BAHAMAS...
...DORIAN'S FURY NOW AIMING TOWARD GRAND BAHAMA...

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect along the Florida east coast from Lantana to the Volusia/Brevard County Line. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from north of Deerfield Beach to Lantana and from the Volusia/Brevard County Line to the Flagler/Volusia County Line. 

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Northwest Bahamas excluding Andros Island, and along the Florida east coast from Jupiter Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County Line. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Andros Island. And along the Florida east coast, from North of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet and the Volusia/Brevard County Line to the Flagler/Volusia County Line. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from north of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from North of Golden Beach to Deerfield Beach and for Lake Okeechobee.

Catastrophic hurricane conditions are occurring in the Abacos
Islands and will spread across Grand Bahama Island tonight. Do not venture out into the eye, as winds will suddenly increase as the eye passes. Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area in Florida by late Monday or Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning area on Monday and Tuesday and are possible in the tropical storm watch area by Monday night.

Hurricane Dorian is centered as of 5 p.m. EDT about 95 miles (150 km) east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island and about 175 miles (280 km) east of West Palm Beach, Florida. Dorian is moving toward the west near 5 mph (7 km/h). A slower westward to west-northwestward motions should continue for the next day or two, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest. On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Great Abaco this evening and move near or over Grand Bahama Island tonight and Monday. The hurricane will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 185 mph (295 km/h) with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km).The last minimum central pressure measured by an Air Force reconnaissance plane a couple of hours ago was 910 mb (26.88 inches).
Dorian is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely, and Dorian is expected to remain a catastrophic hurricane during the next few days.

A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels in areas of
onshore winds on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

In Florida, the combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...
Volusia/Brevard County Line to Jupiter Inlet FL...4 to 7 ft
North of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet FL...2 to 4 ft

Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall totals through late this week:
Northwest Bahamas...12 to 24 inches, isolated 30 inches.
Coastal Carolinas...5 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches.
The Atlantic Coast from the Florida peninsula through Georgia...3 to 6 inches, isolated 9 inches.
Southeastern Virginia...2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
Central Bahamas...2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.

The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 11 p.m. EDT with an intermediate advisory at 8 p.m. EDT - www.hurricanes.gov