Hurricane Dorian LIVE: Category 5 hurricane hits Bahamas with 185mph winds

• Hurricane Dorian has made landfall in the Bahamas with staggering winds of 185mph
• The strength of hurricane Dorian now means it is the strongest hurricane on the planet in 2019, and has hit the northwestern Bahamas in modern records
• Florida governor Ron De Santis warns all 67 counties have had state emergency declared. Residents should know their hurricane plan
• US President Trump warned the storm will likely impact the eastern seaboard from Florida to North Carolina

Hurricane Dorian has become the strongest storm in modern records to hit the northwestern Bahamas. The U.S National Hurricane Center said Dorian made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands as a Category 5 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 185mph. US President Trump warned today the storm will likely impact the eastern seaboard from Florida to North Carolina. The NHC have warned this is a “life-threatening” situation. Below are the latest updates, all times in BST. 

12:15am update: South Carolina issues mandatory evacuations

South Carolina’s governor Henry McCaster announced in a news conference that mandatory evacuations will go into effect starting Monday at noon.

The counties will be: Jasper County zone A, all of Beaufort County, all of Charleston County, Berkeley County zones B and G, Dorchester County zone D, Georgetown County zone A and Horry County zone A.

Mr McCaster added that schools and government offices will also be closed until further notice.

12am update: Water services have been disconnected in Grand Bahama

The Grand Bahama Utility Company has begun disconnecting its water service throughout the island in preparation for Hurricane Dorian.

READ MORE: Hurricane Dorian path map: Latest euro model, NOAA charts and GFS

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Hurricane Dorian in Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas (Image: TWITTER)

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Residents in Florida have started making preparations for Hurricane Dorian (Image: GETTY)

11pm update: Jacksonville, Florida to order madatory evacuations starting Monday

A local state of emergency has been announced starting at midnight in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, according to CNN.

The mandatory evacuations have been put in place for zones A and B in the city.

All city and government offices and Duvall County schools will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

City bridges will be closed when winds reach 40mph with shelters opening Monday at 10am. 

10pm update: NOAA’s latest update says Dorian’s fury now aiming towards Grand Bahama

NOAA’s 5pm update has warned the eye of the hurricane is now crawling over the Abacos Islands in the Bahamas, before Grand Bahamas are then hit. 

Winds speeds are now around 180 miles per hour. 

9pm update: The UK foreign office issues advice to people travelling to USA

The UK Foreign Office has updated guidance for travelling to the USA. 

On their website, the Foreign Office said: “You should monitor the progress of approaching storms on the US National Hurricane Center website and follow instructions issued by the local authorities, including any evacuation orders.

“If you are due to be travelling to the affected areas in the next few days, you should contact your airline.”

7.54pm update: Florida Governor suspends tolls on major highways 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered tolls be suspended on major highway, asking residents to “heed evacuation orders” from local officials.

The Florida Turnpike, Alligator Alley, Sawgrass Expressway, SR 528 Beachline Expressway, SR 417 and SR 429 will suspend tolls.

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Jacksonville, Florida will order mandatory evacuations starting at midnight (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

7.11pm update: Dorian headed for Grand Bahama ‘in all its fury’, says 2pm NHC update

The eye of Hurricane Dorian is now tracking over Great Abaco Island and is 185 miles east of West Palm Beach in Florida, according to the NHC 2pm (EDT) public advisory.

The NHC predict Hurricane Dorian is heading towards Grand Bahama with maximum sustained winds of 185mph.

No changes have been made with this advisory for watches and warnings.

The latest advisory said: “Dorian is a extremely dangerous category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

“Some fluctuations in intensity are likely, and Dorian is expected to remain a catastrophic hurricane during the next few days.”

6.51pm update: Hurricane Dorian now joint-second strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean

The Wall Street Journal is reporting Dorian ranks as tied for the 2nd-strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, based on its maximum sustained wind speeds of 185mph.

Dorian is behind 1980’s Hurricane Allen, which is thought to have achieved maximum wind speeds of 190mph.

6.13pm update: Hurricane Dorian makes landfall in the Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian has become the strongest storm in modern records to hit the northwestern Bahamas. 

At 12.45pm (EDT) the National Hurricane Center released an update stating Hurricane Dorian had made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands as a Category 5 storm.

Dorian hit on Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph.

The NHC have warned “a Florida landfall is still a distinct possibility”.

5.33pm update: Trump says Dorian is “one of the biggest hurricanes we’ve ever seen”

President Trump upon his return from Camp David has called Hurricane Dorian “one of the biggest hurricanes we’ve ever seen”.

Trump said: “This is now a Category 5.”

“It seems to be one of the biggest hurricanes we’ve ever seen, and that’s a problem.”

“We have a lot of great people working right now.

“We don’t know where it’s going to hit but we have an idea.”

The President will head to FEMA HQ in Washington on Sunday afternoon to be briefed on the hurricane’s development.

4.52pm update: NOAA’s National Hurricane Center issue latest advisory on Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian has become the strongest hurricane in modern records for the northwestern Bahamas, according to the 11am public advisory from the NHC. 

Hurricane Dorian was predicted to be about 20 miles east north-east of Great Abaco Island, and 205 miles east of West Palm Beach in Florida. 

A Hurricane Watch and a Storm Surge Watch has now been issued for the east coast of Florida from north of Deerfield Beach to the Volusia/Brevard County Line.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Lake Okeechobee. 

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 180mph.

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Hurricane Dorian: US President Donald Trump receives a briefing at FEMA (Image: GETTY)

3.42pm update: Hurricane Dorian strongest hurricane on the planet this year

The strength of hurricane Dorian now means it is the strongest hurricane on the planet in 2019. 

It has sustained winds of 175mph, with wind gusts of 200mph.

Dorian is also the strongest hurricane in modern records for the northwestern Bahamas.

3pm update: Hurricane Dorian now packing winds of 175mph

An urgent update from NOAA has shown that Hurricane Dorian is now packing maximum sustained winds of up to 175mph. 

The advisory read: “Catastrophic Category 5 Dorian continuing to intensify as it approaches the Abaco Islands.

“Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that Dorian has continued to intensify, and now has maximum sustained winds near 175 mph.

“The eyewall of catastrophic Hurricane Dorian is currently reaching the Abaco Islands.

“This is a life-threatening situation. Residents there should take immediate shelter. Do not venture into the eye if it passes over your location.”

Hurricane Dorian 2019 LIVE

Hurricane Dorian 2019 LIVE: Dorian is continuing to strengthen as it reaches the Bahamas (Image: TROPICAL TIDBITS)

1pm update: NOAA’s latest advisory places Hurricane Dorain as a Category 5 hurricane

According to NOAA’s 8am EDT (1pm BST) update, Hurricane Dorian is now a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, the strongest category a hurricane can be.

Maximum sustained wind speeds have been registered as 160mph, and is described by the NHC as ‘extremely dangerous’. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the centre, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km).

12.13pm update: Numbers of people and homes at risk in Bahamas

At a press conference on Saturday, Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis issued an evacuation order for parts of Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands, both in the north of the archipelago.

Mr Minnis urged residents to travel to the main island to escape the “devastating, dangerous storm”.

He added 73,000 people and 21,000 homes were at risk. 

source: express.co.uk