Hurricane Warning Issued
The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Dorian strengthened to 70 miles per hour this morning, only 4 miles per hour from reaching hurricane status. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Puerto Rico today with hurricane conditions possible, CNN reports.
The forecast for Dorian calls for continued strengthening over the next few days, reaching Category 3 on Sunday over the Bahamas. The extended forecast for Dorian still calls for a landfall in Florida on Monday.
Rain will have a larger impact than wind in this storm and rivers will be impacted, forecasters say. About 4 to 6 inches of rain are expected; however, eastern, mountainous portions of Puerto Rico could see up to 10 inches.
As of Wednesday morning, 23 shelters were established and more than 40 residents had sought refuge, said Puerto Rico Emergency and Disaster Management Commissioner Carlos A. Acevedo Caballero in an interview with CNN.
In Florida, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said although Tropical Storm Dorian is about five days away from possibly making landfall in Florida, preparations are underway to ensure the safety of all residents, CNN reports.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Curry said it’s too early to make any decisions about evacuations; however, the city will activate its Emergency Operations Center Thursday morning.
For more information on hurricane response, see the Security Management article “Lessons Healthcare Security Professionals Learned from Hurricane Harvey.”
