Live Blog: Hurricane Dorian churns off Carolina coast

View The Original Article Here

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hurricane Dorian is a dangerous hurricane moving along the Southeast coastline. This is a live blog from the digital staff at WCNC.com with continuous updates on the storm, its impact, and on-going developments.

Thursday, September 5

4:25 p.m.

At the news conference, meteorologist Katie Webster said conditions will deteriorate Thursday night and into early Friday. Conditions will begin to improve Friday afternoon and evening across the state. 

4:15 p.m. 

At a news conference, Gov. Cooper said 68 shelters were open with 2,200+ people in them. More than 500 National Guard soldiers had been activated. Parts of the state near Wilmington had 9-inches of rain and tornadoes.

4:00 p.m. 

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper tweets, “#HurricaneDorian is here — hunker down, be safe, and don’t take any chances,” right before news conference update.

3:45 p.m.

Much of southeastern Virginia is shutting down as Hurricane Dorian churns up the Atlantic Coast.    

Virginia Beach officials announced mandatory evacuations Thursday for the community of Sandbridge. The strip of land is home to beach houses that sit along the Atlantic Coast near the North Carolina border.

Voluntary evacuations were also encouraged in flood-prone areas in the coastal city of nearly 500,000 people.

3 p.m. 

Governor Henry McMaster lifted the emergency evacuation order for Beaufort, Jasper, and Colleton counties.

2:56 p.m.

Officials in a coastal South Carolina county have suspended emergency services during high winds from Hurricane Dorian.    

Georgetown County officials said in tweet Thursday afternoon that fire and EMS services had been called off “until wind speeds subside to a safe level.”

Officials also noted that anyone who called 911 during the suspension would be put on a waiting list.

2:40 p.m.

“An enhanced risk of severe weather is expected through this afternoon and into the overnight hours for eastern North Carolina. The primary threat is tornadoes,” The National Weather Service tweeted.

2:27 p.m.

2 p.m.

No one will be able to enter one Outer Banks county in North Carolina as Hurricane Dorian approaches.    

Officials said there’ll be no access to Dare County starting at 8 p.m. Thursday. In addition, curfews begin in most of the county at 8 p.m. and continue until at least noon Friday. No curfew is in effect in Kitty Hawk.

1 p.m. 

Multiple stations report hurricane-force wind gusts of 75-80 mph in Charleston Harbor. The storm continues to move northeast at 8 mph.

12:30 p.m. approx.

An SUV is abandoned on Myrtle Beach after police said a driver got stuck in the sand Thursday morning. The SUV is dangerously close to being swept out to sea.

12:00 p.m. 

The NHC reports Hurricane Dorian is now back to a Category 3 storm with 115 mph sustained winds. The storm is currently 45 miles east-southeast of Charleston, SC. 

11:00 a.m. 

Hurricane Dorian is now a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 110 mph. Dorian is currently 50 miles east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. 

Brad Panovich said Dorian could make multiple landfalls in North Carolina due to the fact the Capes and Outer Banks stick out.

10:10 a.m. 

North Carolina Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry announces the state has 23 swift water rescue teams, 53 boats and 178 North Carolina National Guard vehicles ready. There’s also seven search and rescue teams, nine ambulance strike crews and 16 search and rescue aircraft on standby. 

10:00 a.m. 

“Hurricane Dorian is ready to unleash its fury on our state,” says Gov. Roy Cooper during a press briefing. Cooper urges everyone to stay off the roads with Dorian hugging the Carolina coastline.

9:30 a.m. 

North Carolina Emergency Management shows a statewide power outage total of 3,147. The majority of those outages are in Brunswick and New Hanover counties.

9:20 a.m. 

South Carolina Emergency Management reports over 202,000 power outages statewide. There are now 33 emergency shelters open across the state.

8:58 a.m.

Numerous roads in Charleston are underwater as Dorian dumps heavy rain along the coast. Trees and power lines have also been knocked down during the storm. In Dorchester County, emergency crews have been pulled from the roads until the storm passes. Over a dozen roads in Berkeley County are closed due to storm damage.

8:05 a.m. 

The NWS has issued a Tornado Watch for parts of eastern and central North Carolina until 7 pm. There have been confirmed touchdowns already Thursday mornings.

8:00 a.m. 

Hurricane Dorian is now moving north-northeastward, according to the National Hurricane Center. The center is about 70 miles south-southeast of Charleston with sustained winds of 115 mph. Tornado warnings are now in effect along the Little River in South Carolina.

7:30 a.m. 

The National Weather Service posts a video of a tornado in Pender County, North Carolina. The video was shot around 7 a.m. 

7:00 a.m.

Powerful thunderstorms are impacting the Charleston area as Dorian’s eye moves north. A weather station in Winyah Bay, South Carolina reported a wind gust of 58 mph. Dorian still has 115 mph sustained winds. 

6:07 a.m. 

A Tornado Warning is issued for southern North Carolina, including Wilmington, Murraysville and Myrtle Grove. Multiple other tornado warnings have popped up along the coast.

5:40 a.m. 

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office reports downed trees, power lines and flooded streets. “Do not leave your home unless your life is in danger,” the sheriff’s office tweets.

5 a.m. 

Dorian is now 80 miles south-southeast of Charleston. It has 115 mph sustained winds and is having a major impact on the coast.

4:56 a.m.

South Carolina Emergency Management reports 81,446 power outages due to Dorian.

3:09 a.m. 

A Twitter user posts a video of people kayaking down Ashley Avenue in Charleston, South Carolina.

2 a.m. 

Dorian is expected to bring damaging winds and life-threatening storm surge to the Atlantic coast the next couple of days. The storm is about 105 miles south-southeast of Charleston.

Wednesday, September 4

11:33 p.m.

“Thirteen central #NCwx counties are under a Tropical Storm Warning. This means that winds up to 73 mph are expected within the next 36 hours,” the National Weather Service in Raleigh tweeted.

11:13 p.m.

Dorian strengthens back to a Category 3 hurricane as it batters the Southeast U.S. seaboard.

10:02 p.m.

9:18 p.m. 

American Red Cross officials say more than 1,500 people have sought refuge from Hurricane Dorian in a total of 28 shelters in the central and eastern portions of South Carolina.

8:08 p.m.

Dorian is moving north-northwest at 8 mph about 130 miles south of Charleston with 110 mph winds.

7:05 p.m. 

As of the 7 p.m. update, Dorian is located about 140 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina and about 260 miles South-Southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina.

6:09 p.m. 

A Weatherflow site at Folly Beach Pier, just south of Charleston, SC, recently measured sustained winds of 45 mph (72 km/h) and a gust to 56 mph (90 km/h). 

5:34 p.m. 

“Low tide is still coming at 7:13 PM and the waves are still crashing up over the Battery. At high tide around 1:11 AM no one should be near here with water possibly coming up over the top stones! That would be 9.2 feet plus,” Meteorologist Chris Mulcahy tweeted from Charleston.

4:53 p.m. 

Chesterfield County Schools cancel classes and after-school activities for Thursday, September 5 “due to the forecast and in an abundance of caution.”

“We believe that the projections are too near the allowable thresholds set by the State Department of Education for the operation of school buses,” the school says.

4:42 p.m. 

A look at flood potential with rain from Dorian based on the current track.

4:28 p.m. 

Meteorologist Iisha Scott discusses wind speeds and storm surge along coast of the Carolinas.

4:00 p.m. 

Waves picking up at Folly Beach. “Hurricane-force winds expected starting tonight into tomorrow afternoon,” said meteorologist Chris Mulcahy.

3:52 p.m. 

Officials with Anson County Schools say classes are canceled for Thursday, September 5 due to possible storm damage from Dorian.

3 p.m.

Ahead of possible rescues and emergency responses during Hurricane Dorian, the United States Coast Guard is preparing. Officials from the USCG in Charleston, South Carolina are providing an insight into their operation.

2 p.m.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and other state officials discuss the state’s preparedness as the first rain bands from Hurricane Dorian arrive along their coastline.

1 p.m.

President Trump addressed Hurricane Dorian during a meeting with reporters at the White House.

12:41 p.m.

Surfside Beach, South Carolina imposes a curfew, effective 8 p.m. Wednesday until further notice. The order also prohibits anyone from entering the ocean. 

11:30 a.m. 

A North Carolina man died while preparing his home for Hurricane Dorian, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday.

Cooper said the 85-year-old Columbus County man fell from a ladder while getting ready for the storm. 

11:00 a.m. 

Hurricane warnings are extended northeastward along the North Carolina coast as Hurricane Dorian moves parallel to the coast of Northeastern Florida. 

Dorian still has sustained winds of 105 mph. The NHC predicts a slow weakening during the next few days. However, Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during this time. 

Brad Panovich said the new Hurricane track shows Dorian is expected to make landfall in eastern North Carolina early Friday morning.  

With tropical storm force wind gusts expected Thursday and Friday, Tropical Storm Warnings extend as far inland as Raleigh in North Carolina, and just outside of Columbia in South Carolina.

9:54 a.m.

The first bands of Hurricane Dorian have reached Charleston. Rain is expected to last throughout the day Wednesday into Thursday.

8 a.m. 

Mandatory evacuations take effect along the North Carolina coast. Impacted areas include Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, the Barrier Islands and Wrightsville Beach. 

7 a.m. 

Chris Mulcahy says the first outer bands of Dorian are moving closer to the shoreline of Georgia and South Carolina. Our crews are dry in Charleston for now but this will change here later this morning with the heaviest rain moving in tonight and tomorrow morning. 

5 a.m.

Dorian continues to move toward the Carolinas with 105 mph winds. The National Hurricane Center says it will likely weaken some but will remain a powerful hurricane through the next two days.

2 a.m. 

The Florida coast is experiencing tropical storm conditions as Dorian moves north. Dorian still has sustained winds of 110 mph and is moving north-northwest at 7 mph.

Tuesday, September 3

11:15 p.m.

Officials laid out their plans to evacuate all residents and close the bridge behind them at an emergency meeting at Carolina Beach on Tuesday night. 

In Charleston, the airport plans to shut down tomorrow afternoon ahead of the storm. All airport operations will be suspended at 3 p.m.

11:00 p.m.

Hurricane Dorian continues moving toward the north-northwest, and a turn toward the north is forecast by Wednesday evening, followed by a turn toward the north-northeast Thursday morning. 

The center of Dorian is expected to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning.

10:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump approves North Carolina’s emergency declaration. He announced an emergency exists in the state and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, local response efforts. 

RELATED: President Trump approves North Carolina’s emergency declaration

10:00 p.m.

As of the 10 p.m. update, Hurricane Dorian has maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour and continues moving northwest at 6 mph. The storm is located about 105 miles east of Melbourne, Florida.

9:15 p.m.

Hurricane Hunters in Dorian are still showing a powerful hurricane, according to Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich, with no signs of additional weakening in the next 24 hours.

9:00 p.m.

As of the 9 p.m. advisory update, Dorian continues to lash the east coast of central Florida. The core of the hurricane is moving nearly parallel to the east coast of central Florida.


8:00 p.m. 

Brad Panovich predicts a significant storm surge for the Carolina coasts. As of the 8 p.m. advisory, Dorian was located about 110 miles East of Cape Canaveral in Florida. 

7:30 p.m.

Five members of the Charlotte Fire Department are headed to the Carolina coast to help respond to Hurricane Dorian, the Charlotte Fire Department tweeted around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

RELATED: Charlotte fire crews headed to Carolina coast

6:00 p.m.

National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham is providing a behind-the-scenes look at their forecast office in Miami, Florida. Hurricane Dorian remains about 100 miles off the eastern coast of Florida.

5:45 p.m.

Bahamas destruction

Communities were destroyed in the Bahamas by category 5 storm Hurricane Dorian.

Brett Adair / LSM

For the first time since Hurricane Dorian lashed the Bahamas with 200 mph wind gusts, new photos and videos from the islands show the destruction left behind by the then-category 5 storm.

RELATED: Before-and-after photos show how badly Hurricane Dorian flooded the Bahamas

5 p.m.

Hurricane Dorian has increased its speed to 6 mph. The 5 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center updates the track to a potential landfall near state-line between North Carolina and South Carolina.