Dorian tracks ‘dangerously’ close to Carolinas, prompting hurricane watches, warnings
Hurricane Dorian is growing in size, picking up speed and heading toward the Carolinas.
The most recent forecast shows the deadly storm’s track is predicted to move even closer to the South Carolina coast, which is entirely under a hurricane warning, WMBF reported.
While the eye of the storm is predicted to be over the ocean, Dorian will be less than 150 miles from Columbia Metropolitan Airport, the National Weather Service office in Columbia tweeted.
Although the current forecast keeps the center of Hurricane Dorian just east of the South Carolina coast, “changes in track could occur,” according to the National Weather Service office in Columbia.
Should the storm move further west on its trek up the coastline, it could become an even greater threat to lives and property.
If Dorian makes a westward shift “of just a few miles,” it “could bring enormous damage,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Tuesday during a news conference updating plans and precautions for the hurricane.
“South Carolina is still in the path of what is still a destructive, deadly storm,” McMaster said of a forecast that called for storm surges, up to 10 inches of rain in some areas and possible “dramatic” flash flooding, with Dorian predicted to pass off the coast and not make landfall.
While McMaster has ordered an evacuation of South Carolina’s coast, his counterpart in North Carolina is also urging his residents to take the storm and its accompanying evacuation orders seriously.
“Start moving well before the storm in order to get to safety. Do not try to ride it out,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said.
President Donald Trump tweeted his support, and the federal government’s, for North Carolina on Tuesday night.
“At the request of Senator Thom Tillis, I am getting the North Carolina Emergency Declaration completed and signed tonight,” Trump said on Twitter. “Hope you won’t need it!”
Even in Georgia, where Dorian is not expected to have as powerful of an impact the governor is pleading with residents to evacuate.
“I know the track is showing it not hitting Georgia ... but this is not a storm to mess with,” Gov. Brian Kemp said, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
As of 9 p.m., Dorian was departing the Bahamas after two days and was “lashing the east coast of Central Florida,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is “moving nearly parallel to, but offshore of, the east coast of Florida,” where sustained wind speeds of 70 mph were recorded, along with gusts as powerful as 85 mph, the NHC said.
Dorian was moving northwest at 8 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, at 11 p.m., the NHC reported. The storm is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches the Southeast and was less than 100 miles from Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to the NHC.
The NHC predicted Dorian’s track would make a turn more to the north on Wednesday night, “followed by a turn toward the north-northeast on Thursday morning.”
Even that fluctuation in route will not prevent Dorian from getting “dangerously” close to South Carolina.
“The center of Dorian is forecast to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning,” the NHC reported in a 5 p.m. update.
During this period the hurricane is expected to remain powerful.
Tropical storm-force winds in the 40 to 70 mph range could reach southern counties in South Carolina late Tuesday, while North Carolina could feel the first impact by 8 a.m. Wednesday, experts predict.
Hurricane conditions are predicted to hit the Carolinas by Wednesday night, the NHC said.
Days of heavy rain — up to 15 inches in some coastal spots — will fall during that period, and could produce “life-threatening flash floods,” forecasters said early Tuesday.
It is expected to “move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late (Tuesday) through Wednesday evening, very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, and near or over the North Carolina coast late Thursday,” the NHC said.
“There is no more time for hesitation. If you are in an evacuation zone you need to evacuate now,” McMaster tweeted.
The president implored his Twitter followers to take precaution as the storm approaches.
“(P)lease don’t let down your guard. As it heads up the coast, lots of very bad and unpredictable things can happen!” Trump tweeted. “On the other hand, the Bahamas have been devastated. We are sending crews to help!”
At least seven deaths were reported in the Bahamas, according to the Associated Press.
The NHC reported several warnings and watches are in effect for South Carolina and North Carolina and even Virginia, including:
▪ A storm surge watch from the Savannah River to Surf City, NC
▪ A hurricane warning from Savannah River to Edisto Beach, SC, and from South Santee River, SC, to Surf City, NC
▪ A hurricane watch from north of South Santee River, SC, to Duck, NC, and to the North Carolina/Virginia border
This story was originally published September 3, 2019 at 11:11 PM.
