Hurricane Dorian: How to Track the Category 5 Storm

Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas Sunday as a Category 5 storm, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. The storm is forecast to continue moving east, towards the Florida East Cast before turning northward early next week. The most recent tracking data shows it not making landfall until it reaches the Carolinas, but the National Weather Service warned Florida residents to remain vigilant as the first warnings and watches were issued.

To track the storm, you can follow the National Hurricane Center on Twitter at @NHC_Atlantic. The NHC also posts updated maps at its website, nhc.noaa.gov.

NBC News has also posted a map that is being updated about every three hours, based on NHC data.

The hurricane hit the Bahamas with 185 mph sustained winds, with gusts reaching over 220 mph as it made landfall at 12:40 p.m. ET Sunday near Elbow Cay, Abacos, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The path changed early Sunday, moving west and putting Central Florida back in the cone of uncertainty.

Dorian was the strongest hurricane in modern records to hit the northwestern Bahamas, reports ABC News.

“I have seen utter devastation here in Marsh Harbour. We are surrounded by water with no way out,” ABC News‘ Marcus Moore said of the scene in the Bahamas. “Absolution devastation, there really are no words it is pure hell here on Marsh Harbour on the Avoca Islands in the northern part of the Bahamas.”

With the storm’s path still uncertain, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged East Coast residents to follow evacuation orders from local officials.

Parts of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Luce and Brevard Counties are already under mandatory evacuation orders, while St. Johns County evacuations will start Monday. Voluntary evacuation orders were also issued for Osceola, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Okeechobee and Highlands counties.

The most up to date information on Florida evacuation orders can be found at FloridaDisaster.org.

“It’s important for people to understand if you’re in an evacuation zone and you’re given an order to evacuate, please heed that call,” DeSantis said at the state Emergency Operations Center Sunday. “This storm at this magnitude could really cause massive destruction, and do not put your life in jeopardy by staying behind when you have a chance to get out.”

Even if the hurricane does not make landfall in Florida, residents along the East Coast could still experience heavy rain, storm surge and tropical storm force winds, notes ABC News. Tropical Storm Warnings were issued from Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet, while a Tropical Storm Watch covers Deerfield Beach to Golden Beach.

When Dorian reaches the South and North Carolina coasts, it could still be a Category 1 or 2 storm, with winds up to 100 mph. It is expected to reach the Carolinas Thursday into Friday.

Photo credit: RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images