As of the 5pm update from the National Hurricane Center, Dorian has strengthened into a Hurricane with 80 mph winds. It is projected to approach Florida Sunday evening and be over the state on Labor Day. As a result, Florida Governor Ron Desantis has declared a state of emergency for the State of Florida.
As you can see below, the center of the cone appears to be hitting the Melbourne / Cocoa Beach area. But as you may have noticed, yesterday’s cone had the storm passing on the west side of Puerto Rico and today it’s passing on the east side of Puerto Rico. Because of errors in the forecast, the exact point of impact in Florida is not certain.
Below are Computer Models showing the storm entering anywhere from Port St. Lucie to St. Augustine. Again, it’s way too early to tell where Dorian will hit, but as we get closer, it does appear it will be a Florida storm event. We need to keep a close eye to see if the Hurricane becomes a South Florida event.
What to do now?
- Review your Hurricane Checklist
- Check up on elderly or disabled family members and or friends who may need assistance
- Make a plan of where you will stay should the storm hit our area.
Obviously, we hope this storm avoids South Florida, but it’s important to be prepared should the storm veer south to our area.