Dare County Emergency Management is closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian and is advising residents and visitors to begin implementing their hurricane preparedness plans.

“Even with the amount of uncertainty with Dorian’s current forecast track, Dare County could experience impacts from the storm as early as Wednesday, September 4,” said Dare County Emergency Management director Drew Pearson on Sunday. “Now is the time to assemble or restock your disaster supply kit with essentials to sustain your family and your pets for three to five days. Have your evacuation plan ready to execute.”

Rough seas and strong rip currents are already creating dangerous conditions for beachgoers and will continue through the week. All are advised to stay out of the water to ensure their personal safety.

Governor Roy Cooper on Sunday urged North Carolinians to pay close attention to Hurricane Dorian and make sure they are ready for its possible impacts expected by the middle of the week.

“North Carolina has endured flooding from two strong hurricanes in less than three years,” said Cooper. “Now is the time to prepare for Dorian. To the people of North Carolina, particularly those still recovering in the eastern part of our state, we are working hard to prepare and we are with you.”

 

The latest National Hurricane Center forecast puts the storm off the North Carolina coast on Thursday morning. On that track, the state would begin feeling the storm’s winds and rains Wednesday.

State emergency officials are preparing for Dorian by coordinating with FEMA, surrounding states and local governments so that personnel and equipment are ready to respond.

North Carolina Emergency Management director Mike Sprayberry explained that the state has water rescue teams, sheltering teams, supplies and many other resources staged and ready for the storm.

Cooper has declared a State of Emergency for all 100 counties, which allows state resources to be mobilized and lets the state and local governments seek federal aid. He also signed two transportation waivers, one so that relief supplies and utility vehicles can move within the state and another to help North Carolina farmers harvest and transport crops and livestock quickly.

To prepare, residents should be sure they:

• Have multiple ways to receive weather information from reliable sources,
• Know evacuation routes and review emergency plans,
• Stock an emergency supply kit, which should contain food, water, prescription medicines, charging cords, batteries, and other essentials to support your family for several days
• Make sure insurance is up to date.

Monitor local weather reports at www.weather.gov/mhx, sign up to receive alerts directly from Emergency Management at www.darenc.com/alerts and follow @DareCountyEM on Twitter.

The NOAA National Hurricane Center 5 p.m. update Sunday, September 1 shows Hurricane Dorian’s maximum sustained winds near 185 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.The last minimum central pressure measured by an Air Force reconnaissance plane earlier in the afternoon was 910 mb (26.88 inches).

Dorian is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely and NHC expects Dorian to remain a catastrophic hurricane during the next few days.

The next update from Dare County Emergency Management will be issued no later than Monday, September 2 at 6 p.m.

Ever wondered about what the cone means on NOAA graphics? This video explains it:

https://www.facebook.com/NWSNHC/videos/426550638177382/

 

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