SINT MAARTEN/BAHAMAS – Hurricane Dorian is an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane comparable to Hurricane Irma of September 2017. Dorian has sustained wind speeds of 185 miles with wind gusts of over 220 miles per hour (mph).
Residents from the Abacos and Grand Bahama islands – the most northern islands of the Bahamas – were told to evacuate the islands several days before as Dorian was heading directly for them.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) out of Miami on Sunday evening in its hourly reports said: “This is a life-threatening situation. Residents in the Abacos should continue to stay in their shelter as the eastern eyewall of Dorian remains over the area. Residents in eastern Grand Bahama will begin to experience the western eyewall soon.”
Dorian is bringing a storm surge of 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels with higher destructive waves.
According to Senior Research Associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Brian McNoldy, 2019 marks the fourth consecutive year with a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, “which has never happened before during the reliable record (Matthew ’16, Irma ’17, Maria ’17, Michael ’18, Dorian ’19). Only in 2004-2007 were there more Category 5s in such a short span; there were seven during those four years.”
The next named storm: Fernand
The next named storm is expected to form this week in the eastern Atlantic Ocean east of the Lesser Antilles, the NHC giving the weather system an 80 per cent chance for development.
“It will be called Fernand. According to the NHC Sunday night report, “An area of low pressure located about 100 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms.
“This system is gradually becoming better organized, and environmental conditions appear conducive for additional development during the next several days. A tropical depression is likely to form by the middle of the week while the system moves generally northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean.
“Heavy rainfall is possible over portions of the southern Cabo Verde Islands during the next day or two, and interests on those islands should monitor the progress of this system.
* Formation chance through 48 hours…medium…60 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days…high…80 percent.
SOUALIGA NEWSDAY WEATHER WATCH
Source: Souliga Newsday https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com-k2&view=item&id=27131:category-5-hurricane-dorian-is-comparable-to-irma-with-185mph-sustained-winds-and-220mph-gusts&Itemid=504
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