Carolinas hunker down as Dorian creeps closer to the coast
Those in Wilmington, North Carolina, are fairly concerned about flooding due to Hurricane Dorian and are preparing their homes and shops accordingly on Sept. 4.
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.
As of Thursday evening, Dorian had weakened to a Category 2 storm and its eyewall was lingering just off the coast of North Carolina.
If Dorian does make landfall in the U.S., it would likely be along the North Carolina coast.
Clouds from Hurricane Dorian could be seen from Miami to Boston on September 5, 2019, as the storm skirted along the U.S. southeast coast. (GOES-East Satellite/NOAA)
"Unfortunately, the longer this system, Dorian, continues its north 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 three locations for a possible landfall: 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.
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. Some of these evacuations were lifted on Thursday afternoon as the worst of Dorian advanced northward.
"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."
A customer walks out of The Tidal Market III convenience store in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. Hurricane Dorian was expected to brush just off the coast of the area (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
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. Three more deaths were reported in Florida, all men preparing for the storm, according to the Associated Press.
The death toll in the Bahamas after the storm climbed to at least 30 by Thursday.
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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