As of 11 am EST on Sept. 3, Hurricane Dorian is currently 105 miles east of Fort Pierce, Florida, moving NW at 5 mph. Current maximum sustained wind speeds are 110 mph, making it a strong category 2 hurricane. After remaining stationary over the Grand Bahama Island for approximately 24 hours, Dorian finally decided to take the northward turn that had been forecasted for several days. Dorian remained stationary over the Bahamas as a result of a high-pressure ridge that calmed completely over the weekend, which had previously been steering the storm.
Dorian’s forward speed will continue increasing throughout the week as a low-pressure trough swinging out of the continental U.S. will pick it up, push it northeast and accelerate it up the East Coast. Dorian is currently as close to the Florida coast as it is expected to be. Residents on the eastern coast of Florida, however, should be aware they may experience increased winds the remainder of today and tomorrow morning. It is important to remember that even moderate windspeeds can damage a building if exposed to them for a prolonged period of time.
The operational models continue to show very good agreement regarding Dorian’s likely track up the east coast and away from Florida. As a result of the latest model simulations, the NHC has shifted the average track far enough east that Florida is no longer in the cone of uncertainty. The next 24-36 hours remain important for the storm, but the general decrease of anticipated impacts of Dorian is certainly welcome by all Floridians. American Integrity will continue to monitor the storm and provide updates as Dorian continues to move up the Florida coast.