Steve Harrigan reports from Abaco Island in the Bahamas as search and rescue efforts continue.  The scale of the devastation is incredible; everything is gone, and worse yet the topography has changed removing the ability of deep water ports to be used in/around most of the northern Bahama islands.  The anticipated death toll is expected to be dramatic. [Disturbing Content]

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The duration of Hurricane Dorian has changed the underwater topography making access to the Island communities even more difficult, if not impossible. The Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency and the Royal Bahamian Defense Force have warned all ocean vessels to stay clear of the Northern Bahama islands.
The equipment needed, and the fuel to make the equipment operational, is not able to reach the Islands because the underwater topography has changed. Deep water channels and port routes need to be remapped.  Most previous ports in/around the Northern Bahamas are no longer feasible for use.  What used to be deep water is now shallow water.
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Hurricane Dorian is now a category two storm with winds around 110mph.  Currently South and North Carolina are experiencing coastal storm surge as the hurricane is just off the coast and maintaining a northeast path.
At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 32.5 North, longitude 79.1 West. Dorian is moving toward the north-northeast near 8 mph (13 km/h). A turn toward the northeast is anticipated by tonight, and a northeastward motion at a faster forward speed is forecast on Friday.

On the forecast track, the center of Dorian will continue to move close to the coast of South Carolina today, and then move near or over the coast of North Carolina tonight and Friday. The center should move to the southeast of extreme southeastern New England Friday night and Saturday morning, and approach Nova Scotia later on Saturday.
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Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks on updated Hurricane Dorian preparations from the Oval Office.  In addition to the hurricane updates, President Trump held an an impromptu press conference. [Video and Transcript Below]

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[Transcript] Oval Office – THE PRESIDENT: We thought we’d give you an update on the hurricane. We got lucky in Florida — very, very lucky indeed. We had — actually, our original chart was that it was going to be hit — hitting Florida directly. Maybe I could just see that, Kevin. It was going to be hitting directly, and that would have affected a lot of other states. But that was the original chart.
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There is a lot of understandable Dorian fatigue; however, that can be problematic if residents near the coastal areas of North Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina don’t stay alert.  Despite it’s duration the hurricane is holding 110 mph winds sixty miles from center, and pushing a very strong storm surge.
At 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 28.4 North, longitude 79.0 West. Dorian is moving toward the north-northwest near 8 mph (13 km/h) and a slightly faster motion toward the northwest or north-northwest is
expected through early Wednesday. A turn toward the north is forecast by Wednesday evening, followed by a turn toward the north-northeast on Thursday morning.

On this track, the core of Hurricane Dorian will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast and the Georgia coast through Wednesday night. The center of Dorian is forecast to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning.
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Hurricane Dorian has begun moving north, finally starting to lessen the impact on Grand Bahama Island.  The strongest winds have diminished to 110 mph, but the wind field has expanded and now covers 60 miles from center.  The storm surge along the U.S. Southeast is anticipated to be very significant through all tide cycles.
At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 27.7 North, longitude 78.7 West. Dorian is moving toward the northwest near 6 mph (9 km/h), and a slightly faster motion toward the northwest or north-northwest is expected tonight. A turn toward the north is forecast by Wednesday evening, followed by a turn toward the north-northeast Thursday morning.

On this track, the core of Hurricane Dorian will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast and the Georgia coast tonight through Wednesday night. The center of Dorian is forecast to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning.
Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next couple of days.
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Hurricane Dorian is moving 2 MPH as it possibly begins to change direction. Grand Bahama Island has been feeling this storm for three days.
At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 27.1 North, longitude 78.6 West. Dorian is moving toward the northwest near 2 mph (4 km/h), and a slightly faster motion toward the northwest or north-northwest is expected later today and tonight. A turn toward the north is forecast by Wednesday evening, followed by a turn toward the north-northeast Thursday morning.

On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will gradually move north of Grand Bahama Island through this evening. The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late today through Wednesday evening, very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, and near or over the North Carolina coast late Thursday and Thursday night.
Data from reconnaissance aircraft indicate that the maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next couple of days.
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It’s impossible to find words to describe what the people in Grand Bahama island must be going through.  More than 24 hours inside a 90-mile wide buzzsaw of sustained  cat-5/cat-4 winds, stationary over a populated island, is beyond comprehension.
Two, perhaps three, complete tide cycles; plus 20 feet of storm surge, plus the catastrophic wind must be completely overwhelming the land mass of the island… A topography changing event.  We pray for those who still have hours left amid this storm.

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 26.8 North, longitude 78.4 West. Dorian has become nearly stationary this afternoon. A slow westward to west-northwestward motion is expected to resume overnight and continue into early Tuesday. A turn toward the northwest is forecast by late Tuesday, with a northeastward motion forecast to begin by Wednesday night.
On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island into Tuesday morning. The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Tuesday through Wednesday evening and then move dangerously close to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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Hurricane Dorian has been pummeling Grand Bahama Island for the last 14 hours.  Almost unfathomable damage and impacts to the island topography are anticipated. Wind speed has diminished slightly, and with slow continued westward movement hurricane watches and warning along the Florida coast have expanded.  [Details in FL Here]
Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina coastlines are all in various stages of  watches, warnings and mandatory evacuations.  The entire Southeast coast is vulnerable and watching. Stunningly, the hurricane is anticipated to remain on/near the U.S. coastline throughout the entire week.

[Hurricane Center] At 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 26.8 North, longitude 78.3 West. Dorian is moving very slowly toward the west near 1 mph (2 km/h). A slow westward to west-northwestward motion is forecast during the next day or so, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest and north.
On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island through much of today and tonight. The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late tonight through Wednesday evening and then move dangerously close to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Wednesday night and Thursday.
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Major category-5 hurricane Dorian continues to pummel the Bahamas as it slowly tracks west toward the Florida coast.  The storm is anticipated to turn North, but the timing of that right turn will make all the difference.  A few miles further West could mean full hurricane force winds against the Florida east coast. [Planning/Info Resource Here]
All residents in the watch and warning areas should heed the evacuation notices of local officials.  With winds of 180+ MPH Dorian is a very serious threat.
[Hurricane Center] At 1100 PM EDT (0300 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 26.6 North, longitude 77.9 West. Dorian is moving toward the west near 6 mph (9 km/h). A slower westward to west-northwestward motion is forecast during the next day or so, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest.

On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Great Abaco and Grand Bahama islands overnight and through much of Monday. The hurricane will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night.
Maximum sustained winds are near 180 mph (285 km/h) with higher gusts. Dorian is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson  Hurricane Wind Scale. Slow weakening is forecast, but fluctuations in intensity could occur couple of days. Regardless, Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next few days.
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Warning, Toxic Masculinity Alert! LOL

After a hurricane, lunch-buckets are the second-best ‘buckets’… believe me.
So far over 3,000 power crews have arrived at the Daytona Intl Speedway staging area, with more en route.  That’s a not-so-small army of over 16,000 lineman and electrical utility personnel staged and prepared to jump into action depending on the impact zone of Hurricane Dorian.

The power crews are from all over the United States and Canada, with more on the way to alternate staging areas. The logistics of assembling an army of hardhats is intense, but these calloused and determined hands are some of the true-grit heroes in the aftermath of any hurricane event.
The Daytona International Speedway works great and holds almost perfect facility structure to support the scale of food, fuel and logistics.  Daytona is one of twenty-four staging areas throughout the Southeast where crews are assembling.
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