Timeline: Hurricane Dorian gets closer to North Carolina, continues to weaken

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Dorian weakened Thursday evening, becoming a Category 2 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters warned Dorian could bring life-threatening storm surges and dangerous winds to portions of the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina.

Read live updates below:

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8:00 p.m. Thursday: Hurricane Dorian is getting closer to Cape Fear, North Carolina as it continues to weaken. Forecasters believe the Category 2 storm has maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, according to the Associated Press.

4:30 p.m. Thursday: Looking to help those in the Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian? Click here for a list of supply drives in Central Florida, and click here for a list of charities accepting donations for victims.

12:05 p.m. Thursday: Due to damage caused by heavy surf during Hurricane Dorian, the city of Daytona Beach said the fishing section of the Daytona Beach Pier is closed until further notice.

The city said Joe's Crab Shack was not damaged.

Due to heavy surf from #HurricaneDorian, the DB Pier has damage to its cross bracing and decking on its east end – the fishing section. The area with Joe's Crab Shack was not damaged; the restaurant has reopened. The fishing section of the pier is closed until further notice. pic.twitter.com/8J1dndijxf
— CityDaytonaBeach (@CityDaytona) September 5, 2019

11:50 a.m. Thursday: Gov. Ron DeSantis said Floridians dodged a bullet when it came to Hurricane Dorian.

So now, he said, the state's focus is shifted to the Carolinas, where the storm is expected to hit next.

"If we're asked, we've not been requested yet to send mutual aid, but states stepped up for us, so if we're asked to send mutual aid we will do that for our friends in the Carolinas," DeSantis said.

State officials are also reaching out to authorities in the Bahamas, to help bring relief to people there.

With Hurricane #Dorian moving past Florida, our state agencies and personnel are focusing on recovery and restoration efforts along the East Coast. Florida is blessed to have some of the best emergency management officials and first responders in the nation.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 4, 2019

10 a.m. Thursday: Gov. Ron DeSantis said early estimates indicate that tens of millions of dollars worth of damage was done to Florida's coast during Hurricane Dorian.

9:50 a.m. Thursday: Gov. Ron DeSantis is providing an update on Hurricane Dorian in Florida.

7:55 a.m. Thursday: Traffic expert Racquel Asa gives us the low-down on which tolls will be reinstated across the state when:

THESE TOLLS ARE IN EFFECT TODAY/THURSDAY: https://t.co/5yktDrzq2a
— Racquel Asa (@RAsaWFTV) September 5, 2019

THESE TOLLS IN EFFECT TOMORROW/FRIDAY: https://t.co/eZILCilDjU
— Racquel Asa (@RAsaWFTV) September 5, 2019

7:15 a.m. Thursday: The coast was treated to a beautiful post-storm sunrise this morning. In case you slept though it, here's video from Port Canaveral as cruise ships were returning after Hurricane Dorian extended their sailings.

WATCH LIVE: The sun rises over Port Canaveral as cruise ships return after Hurricane Dorian
WATCH LIVE: Good morning from Port Canaveral! 🚢🌅 Cruise ships are returning to the port after Hurricane Dorian extended their sailings. 📺 Watch TV27 now for live updates from the port. READ MORE: https://at.wftv.com/2Zu6UVM
Posted by WFTV Channel 9 on Thursday, September 5, 2019

6:30 a.m. Thursday: Cruise ships are returning to Port Canaveral Thursday morning after their sailings were extended due to Hurricane Dorian. Click here to read more.

RIGHT NOW: Disney Dream heading into @PortCanaveral after spending extra days at sea as #HurricaneDorain passed. Five more ships heading into port this morning. We’re live with the arrivals all morning 5AM-9AM @WFTV pic.twitter.com/SRDagOeT4f
— Sarahbeth Ackerman (@SAckermanWFTV) September 5, 2019

5 a.m. Thursday: Click here to see which schools are going back to class today, and click here to find out when your county or city's garbage pick up will resume.

This morning, Solid Waste collection resumes. Recycling collection will move to the weekend and then it's back to regular collection days next week. pic.twitter.com/5uuiznFbnr
— City of Orlando (@citybeautiful) September 5, 2019

10:05 p.m. Wednesday: At least 20 people have died in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian, according to an estimate from the Bahamas Health Minister Duane Sands.

WATCH: A recap of Hurricane Dorian's impact on Central Florida: