‘Unpredictable’ Hurricane Dorian keeps looking worse for Florida

Maximum sustained wind speeds are projected to be 130 miles per hour by Sunday, enough for Dorian to be a Category 4 hurricane.

“Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months,” the NHC says on its page about the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which grades hurricane strength.

In the days to come, the storm, currently a Category 1, brings the threat of heavy rains, life-threatening storm surge, and strong winds to the Bahamas and Florida.

Landfall over Florida, which most models predict, is expected to happen Monday, but the far-reaching effects of the storm will hit the shore sooner. Some models show Dorian could stall at or near the Florida coast, which could dump extra rain on a specific area, before heading north. Others have shown Dorian traveling across the Florida Peninsula and into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, where it could recharge.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Thursday for the entirety of Florida, which will enhance local coordination with state and federal officials. “Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster,” the Republican said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said his state is also making preparations, including plans for coastal evacuations.

Dorian became a hurricane on Wednesday, lashing out at Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory of roughly 3.2 million Americans that is still recovering from powerful hurricanes two years ago, was largely spared.

“Hurricane Dorian looks like it will be hitting Florida late Sunday night. Be prepared and please follow State and Federal instructions, it will be a very big Hurricane, perhaps one of the biggest!” President Trump tweeted on Thursday.

The expected strength for Dorian has been an ever-shifting target for forecasters, as there are many geographical and atmospheric factors at play. Earlier this week, models indicated Dorian could make landfall over the Dominican Republican, which would have significantly weakened the storm before it made its way to Florida. However, Dorian tracked east, moving between the much smaller Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio warned residents of his state to be prepared, even though the storm’s expected path could shift again.

“The forecast cone covers virtually the entire state of #Florida,” the Republican said. “We have been through this many times before. We know what we need to do, lets start doing it now. #Dorian has been an unpredictable storm. Expect that to continue & plan & act accordingly.”

Back in 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm, after which Hurricane Harvey slammed into Texas also as a Category 4 hurricane. That storm flooded Houston and other nearby areas, leading to a death toll of roughly 100 people, thousands of people getting displaced, and nearly $125 billion in damages.