Hurricane Dorian: Sept. 1

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Dorian is continuing to strengthen as it churns in the Atlantic. Channel 9 Eyewitness News meteorologists are tracking the storm live online and on-air. Read live updates below:

>>> Click here to tune into Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live forecast updates and analysis <<<

11:55 p.m. update SUNDAY: Pets have already begun their evacuation from Hurricane Dorian, as over 70 dogs and cats from Florida were transported to Michigan late Sunday.

READ MORE: More than 70 Florida pets safely transported to Michigan ahead of Hurricane Dorian

11:00 p.m. update SUNDAY: Dorian is barely moving over the northern Bahamas. Seems like its eye has been trying to go through eyewall replacement cycles which will lead for this storm to start to wobble and expand its wind field. At 11 p.m. the National Hurricane Center released their advisory stating that Dorian continues with powerful strength with 180 mph, and moving to the west at 6 mph.

Hurricane watch extended over coastal Flagler County up to St. Mary’s River. Storm surge watch has also been extended northward, now over Flagler County to the mouth of the St. Mary’s River.

11 p.m domingo actualización: Dorian apenas se mueve sobre el norte de Bahamas. Parece que ha estado tratando de pasar por ciclos de reemplazo de la pared del ojo que conducirán a que esta tormenta comience a tambalearse y expandir su campo de viento. A las 11 pm el Centro Nacional de Huracanes lanzó su aviso afirmando que Dorian continúa con una fuerza poderosa con 180 mph y avanzando hacia el oeste a 6 mph.

La vigilancia de huracanes se extendió sobre el condado costero de Flagler hasta el río St. Mary's. La vigilancia de marejada ciclónica también se ha extendido hacia el norte, ahora para la costa del condado Flagler a la desembocadura del río de Santa María.

10: 45 p.m. update SUNDAY: Officials in Georgia have begun to issue evacuation orders as Hurricane Dorian continues its track toward the southeast United States. Governor Brian Kemp issued the order that roughly 540,000 people on the state's 100 mile coast on Georgia's Atlantic seaboard evacuate at noon Monday.

10: p.m. update SUNDAY: Flagler County has announced the opening of a special needs shelter before the storm Monday at 8 a.m. at Rymfire Elementary School.

INTERACTIVE MAP: Find a hurricane shelter in Central Florida

9:30 p.m. update SUNDAY: Walmart has announced store closures for locations that could be affected by Hurricane Dorian around Central Florida. For a full list of locations, click here.

9: 05 p.m. update SUNDAY: Hurricane Dorian remains a Category 5 storm with top sustained winds of 185 mph, moving west at 5 mph. It is expected to lose more speed, perhaps becoming stationary overnight.

8:45 p.m. update SUNDAY: Governor DeSantis is slated to hold another press conference Monday at 10 a.m. in Tallahassee to provide updates on Hurricane Dorian.

8:00 p.m. update SUNDAY: Amazon has closed several facilities in Florida ahead of Hurricane Dorian. Amazon facilities in Tampa, Orlando and Miami are all temporarily closed for the storm.

In a statement, the company said:

While we don't know yet what the impact of the storm will be for our local teams, the safety of our employees and drivers is always our top priority. We have begun proactively closing operations facilities temporarily in the potential impacted areas. Customers living in areas affected by the hurricane may see a delayed delivery promise date on items when they go to checkout. In limited circumstances, customers outside the impacted area may also see a slower delivery promise if the product they are ordering is shipping from an area within the projected path of the hurricane.

7:30 p.m. update SUNDAY: Orange County is expected to see tropical storm conditions with Hurricane Dorian. Trees and power lines are expected to be affected and the county could see four to six inches of rain.

6:50 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is providing an update on Hurricane Dorian. Click here to watch it live.

6:00 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Orlando Melbourne Airport has announced its closure is now set for 12 p.m. Monday to ensure the safety of passengers and employees.

READ MORE: Airport, transportation, cruise schedule changes ahead of Hurricane Dorian

5:30 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Video shared across social media shows Hurricane Dorian's damages to the Bahamas.

Video shoed several homes being flooded, strong winds and roofs being torn apart.

5 p.m. update SUNDAY:

The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for Brevard County and a hurricane watch for Volusia County.

Dorian continues to batter the northern Bahamas. It is expected to continue to lose forward speed and stall all day Monday.

By Tuesday afternoon, Dorian will pick up speed again and its eye is still set to travel off shore just parallel to the east coast of Florida, chief meteorologist Tom Terry said.

Under the current track, Dorian’s eye could come less than 40 to 50 miles from the east coast of Brevard County, with 145 mph maximum sustained winds, Terry said.

5pm actualización domingo:
Dorian continúa causando estragos sobre las Bahamas.

Pronosticamos que continúe perdiendo velocidad y se quede estacionada sobre las Bahamas todo el día el lunes.

A partir del martes al medio día, Dorian comenzara a moverse de nuevo y según la trayectoria actual su ojo debería quedarse sobre el agua, solo entre 40 y 50 millas al este de la costa del Condado Brevard, con vientos máximos sostenidos a 145 mph.

ALERTAS EMITIDAS
Aviso de marejada ciclónica desde Lantana hasta el borde del condado Volusia y Brevard.

Vigilancia de marejada ciclónica desde Volusia-Brevard hacia el norte por el condado Flagler.

Aviso de huracán desde Jupiter hasta Brevard.

Vigilancia de huracán desde Volusia/Brevard y Flagler/Volusia.

4:50 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Brevard Public Schools said the district's schools will be closed through Wednesday. Click here to read about other school closures.

4:15 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Volusia County officials said they will issue a mandatory evacuation order at 10 a.m. Monday for residents who live on the beachside and in low-lying areas, RVs and mobile homes.

Residents need not wait until the order is issued, officials said. They said Sunday would be an ideal day to leave the area for residents who have a place to go. Click here for a list of shelter locations.

3 p.m. update SUNDAY:

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Dorian made a second landfall at 2 p.m. on Great Abaco island in the Bahamas at 185 mph.

Chief meteorologist Tom Terry said the storm is tied for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall on record with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, which ravaged the Florida Keys.

Dorian's maximum sustained winds stand at a monstrous 185 mph, with higher gusts.

The storm is moving west at 7 mph and its center is about 185 miles east of West Palm Beach.

A hurricane watch is in effect for Florida from north of Deerfield Beach to the Volusia-Brevard county line.

Hurricane conditions are possible for Central Florida's coastal counties by Tuesday, Terry said.

"Our local impacts will depend on three things -- the eventual track, the intensity (probably still a Category 4 nearby) and how big the eye of the storm gets," he said. "(There are) lots of things to monitor very closely as the hurricane watches and later warnings are likely to spread up our east coast."

1 p.m. update SUNDAY:

Hurricane Dorian has made landfall in the Bahamas. Its winds have reached 185 mph, said meteorologist Kassandra Crimi.

Volusia County is expected to make mandatory evacuations for beach side, mobile homes, and low-lying areas 10 a.m. Monday.

12:45 p.m. update SUNDAY: Channel 9 has compiled a list of counties who are suspending garbage collection services beginning on Tuesday. See the list here.

12:30 p.m. update SUNDAY: Communities across Central Florida are continuing to prepare for impacts from Hurricane Dorian.

11 a.m. update SUNDAY: According to the latest updated track, Brevard County is now under a hurricane watch as Dorian winds have reached 180 mph.

A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions (winds greater than 74 mph, high waves, rain, ect.) are possible within the next 48 hours.

Steps to take:

1. Review your evacuation route(s) and listen to local officials.

2. Review the items in your disaster supply kit and add items to meet the household needs for children, parents, individuals or other access and functional needs or pets.

Dorian is the strongest hurricane on record for the Bahamas, said meteorologist Brian Shields. Continue your hurricane preparations.

Hurricane Dorian is expected to remain an extremely strong Category 5 hurricane.

10:30 a.m. update SUNDAY:

Uber is offering free round trip rides, up to $20 each way, to and from a state-approved evacuation shelter. ​​​​​Read more information here.

The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is opening their doors as a temporary emergency shelter beginning at 8 p.m. Monday.

9:55 a.m. update SUNDAY: An updated track from just before 10 a.m. shows that Dorian has strengthened again now with 175 mph winds as it moves 8 mph west toward Florida's east coast.

The storm is forecast to reach the Bahamas later today.

9:30 a.m. update SUNDAY: Orlando Sanford International Airport announced Sunday that the airport will remain open until further notice. The airport previously announced that it will be closed at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, but changed those plans due to changes in the storm's track.

8:55 a.m. update SUNDAY: Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields said a Category 5 storm like Dorian is rare.

Meteorologist George Waldenberger said the storm's eyewall is about to hit the Abaco Islands before it continues on toward Florida.

8 a.m. update SUNDAY: Hurricane Dorian is now a Category 5 storm according to the 8 a.m. track.

"This is a monster of a storm," Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields said.

With a storm of this size and strength so close to the state, Shields said it is time to finish preparations in case the storm tracks closer to the coast.

“I’m not messing around with a storm this large and this powerful,” he said.

The storm now has winds up to 160 mph as it moves 8 mph west.

6:25 a.m. update SUNDAY: Preparations are continuing across Central Florida as Hurricane Dorian churns in the Atlantic.

5:45 a.m. update SUNDAY: Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields is giving county-by-county preparation plans on Eyewitness News This Morning.

5 a.m. update SUNDAY: Channel 9 meteorologist Brian Shields said Hurricane Dorian's 5 a.m. track has the storm moving very close to Florida's coast Monday into Tuesday.

Shields said the storm has not yet started to turn northward, making a direct hit to Florida still possible. He said the storm is currently less than 200 miles from the South Florida coast.

As the storm continues to churn as a nearly Category 5 storm with winds of 150 mph, Shields said it's important for all Central Floridians to have their hurricane prep finished today.

He said coastal county residents -- Flagler Volusia and Brevard -- should have their complete hurricane kit ready by the end of the day Sunday and be ready to evacuate if necessary.

For inland communities, he said Sunday should be an action day as residents prepare for potential tropical storm force winds or higher depending on Dorian's track.

11 p.m. update SATURDAY: Hurricane Dorian continues as a Category 4 storm. There was a slight drop in the pressure now to 940 millibars. Maximum sustained winds reached 150 mph, as the storm continues to move west at 8 mph.

Dorian's outer winds have started to affect the Bahamas. Dorian will continue to lose speed and it could come to a near stop Sunday, while hovering over the Bahamas.

The hurricane eye is still forecast to remain over water, but the track has shifted a bit west, toward Florida. There are likely to be several more shifts, in either direction, as Dorian becomes nearly stationary just to our east.

HELPFUL LINKS TO HELP YOU PREPARE:

• Are you storm ready? Here's when, where you can get sandbags filled
• Stay informed during a storm: Emergency Operations Centers in Central Florida
• Orlando pet adoption service offering free microchipping in advance of Hurricane Dorian
• New to Florida? 9 helpful tips to get you through a hurricane

Cox Media Group