Although Dorian is hardly the record-challenging storm it once was a few days ago, it is still battering southeastern United States cities with powerful winds and dangerous storm surge as it looms off the coast.
The eye of the storm is currently looming off the coast of Georgia, but impacts from Dorian can be felt as far north as Folly Beach, South Carolina. As of Wednesday night, Dorian has been teetering on the edge of strengthening once more into a Category 3 storm, or a major hurricane. As of 9 p.m. EDT, its sustained wind speed remains at 110 mph, just 1 mph under Category 3 status.
If Dorian does make landfall in the U.S., it would likely be along the South or North Carolina coast.
Hurricane Dorian churns off the southeastern US coast, having pivoted to the north and avoiding landfall in Florida. (Image/NASA Worldview)
"Unfortunately, the longer this system, Dorian, continues its north to northwest track, the higher the probability that we're going to be looking at a landfall along the Carolina coast," AccuWeather Chief Broadcast Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. "Now having said that, even if there isn't a landfall, the impacts are still going to be great everywhere from the Georgia coast toward the Carolina coast, but I'm more worried about more significant impacts along the South Carolina coast and the North Carolina coast over the next 48 hours or so."
AccuWeather is keeping an eye on four locations for a possible landfall: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Cape Fear, Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
The immediate coast from South Carolina to North Carolina can expect hurricane conditions with gusts at or above 74 mph, coastal flooding with a storm surge of 4-7 feet, torrential rainfall average 6-12 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 15 inches and the risk of isolated tornadoes and waterspouts, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
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Videos of the aftermath of Dorian in Florida have already surfaced of a resident paddling on a surfboard through a flooded street in St. Augustine. Meanwhile, beaches in South Carolina such as Myrtle Beach are already beginning to feel the strong winds of the storm approaching.
At least six coastal counties in South Carolina are under evacuation orders, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued a mandatory state evacuation for barrier islands from the Virginia to South Carolina lines.
"Hurricane Dorian has set its sights on North Carolina. We will be ready and we will not underestimate the damage this storm can cause. North Carolina faces deadly storm surge and inland flooding. The greatest threats are to our coastal communities and inland neighbors," Cooper said in a press conference on Wednesday morning. "Today is the day to finish preparing. I urge everyone to do so with safety in mind."
Sightseers watch waves crash on shore as Hurricane Dorian made it's way off the Florida coast Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, in Ormond Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Dangerous waves and currents across the southeastern U.S. coast have been threatening to sweep away anyone who dared to get too close. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tweeted that a lifeguard had to save a woman who had been standing on the shore of Neptune Beach and was knocked down and pulled into the ocean by a current.
Cooper reported the first storm-related death on U.S. soil from Dorian on Wednesday morning during a news conference. An 85-year-old man from Columbus County had fallen from a ladder while preparing his home for the storm. He later died from his injuries.
The death toll in the Bahamas after the storm climbed to at least 20 on Wednesday, 17 from the Abaco islands and three from Grand Bahama, according to the Associated Press.
After Dorian's fate with the Carolinas, Rayno believes the hurricane will accelerate to the northeast by Friday as it downgrades to a Category 1 hurricane, though still delivering a glancing blow to southeastern Virginia as it departs.
"Southeastern Virginia, you will also feel the full fury of Dorian," Rayno said. "I think you will see tropical storm-force conditions with even hurricane-force gusts along Virginia Beach and the Norfolk area."
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