- April 24, 2024
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Hurricane Dorian will make landfall in Florida as a Category 4 near Fort Pierce or Port St. Lucie, then is expected to turn north and follow the coastline toward Georgia, remaining a major hurricane of at least Category 3 strength for much of the way, according to a National Hurricane Center storm update posted at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30.
The latest tracking model from the National Hurricane Center is a departure from previous ones which showed Dorian making its northward turn further inland.
But the track may still change: "The track forecast by the end of the forecast period is highly uncertain, and any small deviation in the track could bring the core of the powerful hurricane well inland over the Florida, keep it near the coast, or offshore," according to the NHC message. "The models have not been very consistent from run to run in terms of the timing of the northward turn, but there are more models now indicating that the turn could occur near the east coast of Florida instead of well inland."
The storm was a Category 3 with winds of 100 knots as of Friday afternoon, and portions of the northwest Bahamas are under a hurricane warnings.
"Dorian is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane as it moves through the northwestern Bahamas and near the east coast of the Florida peninsula in about 2 to 4 days," according the the NHC message.
The NHC predicts life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds along parts of the Florida coast early next week, and the possibility of hurricane-force winds in parts of inland Florida. But it is still too early to say where the greatest danger areas will be, according to the NHC.
Flagler County public schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, Saturday, Aug. 31 through Monday, Sept. 2.
As of the evening of Friday, Aug. 30, the Flagler County school district had not made a determination about whether to remain closed on Tuesday. "As soon as a decision is made, we will forward that on to our families, administrators, teachers, and staff through our various communication avenues," a Flagler Schools news release states.
In Volusia County, classes and all other school activities are cancelled from Saturday, Aug. 31 through Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Sandbags and/or sand are available at the following locations, according to a news release from the Flagler County government:
Ormond Beach:
Ormond Beach will make self-serve sand available to as many residents as possible from sunrise to sunset Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at the following locations, according to a city of Ormond Beach news release:
Limited staff will be available to help with shovels and bags from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on all days. Sand will remain after 2:30 p.m. but residents should bring their own shovels/bags at that time, according to the news release.
Port Orange:
Sandbags and sand will be provided on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the following locations, according to the city of Port Orange website:
Residents are advised to bring a shovel and will need to show proof of residency. Residents can fill their own bags or city supplied bags. The limit is 10 per household. If bringing your own bags, they should be small trash bags, and should be double-bagged, according to the city of Port Orange website.
Palm Coast: Garbage collection has been suspended for Monday and Tuesday, and may be suspended longer. Residents with questions can contact the city's Customer Service department Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 386-986-2360 with questions about facility closures; sand and sandbag locations; downed trees; utility, stormwater, and public works issues and garbage questions. On Monday, the phone lines will be open for 24 hours until the storm has passed, according to a city government news release.
Ormond Beach: Garbage pickup will continue as scheduled on Monday, but is cancelled for Tuesday due to the Volusia County Landfill being closed. Pickup will resume when the landfill reopens.
Port Orange: Garbage and recycling service will continue as usual Monday, but will be suspended on Tuesday. For questions, call Waste Pro 386-788-8890.
Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday, Aug. 29, formally requesting that he declare a pre-landfall disaster for all 67 counties in Florida, according to a news release from the governor's office. In response to his request, Florida has been approved for federal direct assistance.
DeSantis also launched the Florida Disaster Fund, Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida communities as they recover from emergencies, according to the news release. To donate, visit www.volunteerflorida.org or text DISASTER to 20222 to make a $10 contribution.
Here's what else is going on with disaster preparation in the state:
