Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, with 175 mph sustained winds, is bearing down on the northwestern Bahamas as of Sunday, Sept. 1.
In a 9:30 a.m. update, the National Hurricane Center said that “the eyewall of catastrophic Hurricane Dorian is currently reaching the Abaco Islands. This is a life-threatening situation. Residents there should take immediate shelter. Do not venture into the eye if it passes over your location,” the NHC wrote.
The storm is now located some 25 miles east-northeast of Great Abaco Island and 210 miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida.
There are few webcams available for the Bahamas ahead of the storm’s landfall, but in Florida, there are a number of stations covering the storm.
US Coverage
Fox News
Force Thirteen
Bahamas
Port Nassau:
https://www.portnassauwebcam.com
Paradise Island Cam:
https://www.paradiseislandcam.com
Abaco Inn:
https://wxyzwebcams.com/en/west_indies/bahamas/
Note: The follwing cameras in the Bahamas were operational as of Saturday but some may be down as of Sunday morning. The webcams are listed in this article in case they are able to come back up:
Abaco Islands, Calypso Beach
https://www.livebeaches.com/webcams/calypso-beach-cam-bahamas/
Abaco Inn, Green Turtle Cay:
Bengal House, Green Turtle Cay:
https://www.bengalhouse.com/camera
Yacht Harbor, West End:
https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/bahamas/grand-bahama/yacht-harbour-west-end.html
Beach, Old Bahama Bay:
https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/bahamas/grand-bahama/beach-old-bahama-bay.html
The National Hurricane Center called on Floridians to stay on guard despite the forecast track showing that Dorian may move to the north before reaching Florida.
Since 1851 the Treasure Cay area in the #Abacos #Bahamas has experienced 3 major #hurricanes to pass overhead (all Cat 3), most notably Floyd in ’99. #Dorian, currently a Cat 5, would be the strongest by far to affect the area. Our thoughts are with the people in the Abacos. pic.twitter.com/sUsdvQMBYd
— NWS Charleston, WV (@NWSCharlestonWV) September 1, 2019
“Although the official track forecast does not show landfall, users should not focus on the exact track since a Florida landfall is still a distinct possibility,” forecasters said in an update.
Hurricane warnings are in effect the northwestern Bahamas.
We’ve made it back home to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. Here’s a few photos from hurricane #Dorian
✈⛈🌪🌊 #ReserveCitizenAirmen #ReserveReady #403WG #WC130J #SuperHercules #WeatherReady #NWSNHC pic.twitter.com/3Erxlf4qUk— Hurricane Hunters (@53rdWRS) September 1, 2019
In the northern stretches of the Bahamas archipelago, hotels closed, residents boarded up homes, and officials hired boats to move people from low-lying areas to bigger islands as Dorian approached.
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis warned that Dorian is a “dangerous storm” and said any “who do not evacuate are placing themselves in extreme danger and can expect a catastrophic consequence.” Small skiffs shuttled Saturday between outlying fishing communities and McLean’s Town, a settlement of a few dozen homes at the eastern end of Grand Bahama island, about 150 miles from Florida’s Atlantic coast. Most people came from Sweeting Cay, a fishing town of a few hundred people about 5 feet above sea level.
“We’re not taking no chances,” said Margaret Bassett, a ferry boat driver for the Deep Water Cay resort. “They said evacuate, you have to evacuate.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
