From the National Hurricane Center: At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Dorian was located near latitude 13.5 North, longitude 60.7 West (30 miles southwest of St. Lucia). Dorian is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph (20 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue through tonight, followed by a turn toward the northwest on Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Dorian is expected to move across the Windward Islands and into the eastern Caribbean Sea during the next several hours. Dorian is forecast to pass near or south of Puerto Rico on Wednesday, move near or over eastern Hispaniola Wednesday night, and move north of Hispaniola on Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Dorian is forecast to be near hurricane strength when it moves close to Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km)
from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 MB (29.68 inches).
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* Puerto Rico
* Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Samana
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Martinique
* St. Lucia
* St. Vincent and the Grenadines
* Puerto Rico
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* Dominica
* Grenada and its dependencies
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* Dominican Republic from Isla Saona to Punta Palenque
* Dominican Republic from Samana to Puerto Plata
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
RAINFALL
Dorian is expected to produce the following rain accumulations through Thursday:
* Barbados… Additional rainfall up to 1 inch, storm total around 6 inches.
* Windward Islands from Martinique to Saint Vincent…3 to 6 inches, isolated 10 inches.
* Grenadines to Grenada…1 to 3 inches.
* Leeward Islands from Guadeloupe to Dominica…1 to 4 inches.
* Puerto Rico and Saint Croix…2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
* Dominican Republic…2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods, especially where totals exceed 4 inches.
WIND
Tropical storm conditions are occurring in portions of the tropical storm warning area in the Lesser Antilles and these conditions are expected to continue during the next several hours. Tropical storm conditions are expected and hurricane conditions are possible in Puerto Rico on Wednesday. Hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch area in the Dominican Republic by late Wednesday and tropical storm conditions are possible in the tropical storm watch area beginning late Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area in the Lesser Antilles today.
SURF
Swells generated by Dorian are affecting portions of the Lesser Antilles and they should continue during the next several hours. Swells are expected to increase along the southern coasts of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola on Wednesday and they could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Just please remember that the NHC forecast track will change throughout the next several days and better refinement will be made to the cone. Much uncertainty in the next 36 hours will be due to Dorian’s interaction with the mountainous terrain of Hispanola and how much that will affect the intensity. As of now, we are still too far out to be able to determine if Dorian will make an impact on Central Alabama or the Alabama Gulf Coast. If you’re planning on going to the beach for the holiday weekend, don’t cancel your trip. Just stay informed about Dorian and don’t be caught off-guard.
Central Alabama Weather 