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The storm was about 200 miles northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, which had escaped much of the storm’s wrath, and was drawing strength from the warm waters of the Atlantic on Thursday.
Forecasters said the hurricane could make landfall Monday morning, but models have shown divergent tracks for the storm’s path, so officials have warned Floridians from Miami to Jacksonville to prepare for a battering.
The National Hurricane Center warns that a Category 4 storm can cause “catastrophic damage,” peeling off roofs and uprooting trees and power lines.
Tropical-storm-force winds (at least 39 mph) could begin blowing into Florida as soon as Saturday night. The center of the hurricane, now a Category 1 storm, is predicted to pass over the Bahamas on Sunday and near the eastern coast of Florida early Monday.
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Forecasters predict that the hurricane will drop 4 to 8 inches of rain in Florida, with up to a foot expected in some isolated areas. Another serious concern are life-threatening storm surges, when water levels rise dramatically and push far inland, flooding neighborhoods. About half of hurricane deaths can be attributed to storm surges.
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has declared an emergency for counties in the storm’s path, and officials are warning all coastal residents to prepare for the storm by gathering food and other supplies.
“Because of the uncertainty in the track of this storm, every resident along the East Coast needs to be ready,” Jared Moskowitz, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said.
Dorian struck Puerto Rico with a glancing blow Wednesday, bringing back difficult memories as the first big storm to threaten the island since Hurricane Maria tore through two years ago. Puerto Ricans lined up outside big-box stores to stock up on supplies and swamped a mental health hotline to get help with their anxiety.
This article originally appeared in
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