A look at Hurricane Dorian's growth to monstrous strength
The threat of Hurricane Dorian solidified for many as the system grew into a catastrophic Category 5 storm Sunday morning, before lashing the northern Bahamas and looming just a few hundred miles off the coast of Florida.
"It is imperative that all Floridians and their families take this threat seriously and have a plan in place," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a tweet. "Everyone should have seven days of food, water and medicine ready."
Moments after the storm was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane on Friday night, Brevard County, Florida, issued a mandatory evacuation order for those who live on the barrier islands, people who live in flood-prone areas, people who have special medical needs that involve electrical dependence and others ahead of Hurricane Dorian. During Saturday afternoon, county officials delayed the evacuation by 24 hours as the storm slowed.
Other Floridians continue to make preparations ahead of the storm, though time is beginning to run out. As of Saturday afternoon, one out of five nursing homes were still waiting for the delivery of a temporary generator in preparation for Hurricane Dorian. Even if the storm doesn't make landfall in Florida, the state could still face impacts such as flooding, storm surge, damaging winds and power outages.
Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas have all declared a state of emergency as Dorian's path changed and evolved with the storm's strength. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for parts of Florida and South Carolina.
Growing from the Tropical Depression Five just north of the Lesser Antilles, Dorian has since strengthened to a full-blown Category 5 storm. Here's a look at satellite imagery showing its evolution as the storm trekked over the Atlantic.
