[Effective 5:00pm] A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Florida’s east coast from Jupiter Inlet to the Volusia/Brevard County Line. Evacuations outlined below.

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the distinct eye of Hurricane Dorian was located near latitude 26.6 North, longitude 77.3 West. Dorian is moving toward the west near 5 mph (7 km/h). A slower westward to west-northwestward motions should continue for the next day or two, followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest.

On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Great Abaco this evening and move near or over Grand Bahama Island tonight and Monday. The hurricane will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 185 mph (295 km/h) with higher gusts. Dorian is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely, and Dorian is expected to remain a catastrophic hurricane during the next few days (LINK).

CTH is suspending the majority of news and topic posts in order to focus on those who may need assistance due to Hurricane Dorian.  Long-time CTH readers will remember our Civilian Emergency Response Team (CERT) efforts from prior storms and recovery.

As hurricane Dorian continues the westward advancement several East coast counties in Florida have begun announcing evacuation plans.   If you live on the east coast of Florida it is critical you pay attention to local officials.

Key Central Information Hub Here to include available shelters

FloridaDisaster.Org has ongoing updates regarding evacuation plans:

Brevard County – Issues Mandatory Evacuation Order Ahead of #Dorian The following residents should START evacuating on Monday, September 2 at 8 a.m.: -those who live on the barrier islands, including areas from Kennedy Space Center south to the south beaches, and Merritt Island, -those in mobile homes or manufactured housing, -those in low-lying, flood-prone areas, -those with special medical needs such as electrical dependence.

Martin County – Mandatory evacuations of Zones A-B will go into affect at 1300 today. This includes Hutchinson Island, Jupiter Island, Sewall’s Point, low lying areas, and mobile and manufactured homes.

Palm Beach County – Starting 1pm Today (9/1/2019) Mandatory evacuation order for those who live in Zone A and Zone B. Zone A includes mobile homes, sub-standard housing and low-lying areas prone to water intrusion. Zone B includes the barrier islands, land areas north and south of the Jupiter Inlet, and other surge-vulnerable areas south along the Intracoastal Waterway to the Broward County line.

St. Lucie County – St. Lucie county has issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents on the barrier island (North and South Hutchinson Island), those living in low-lying coastal areas and mobile homes. That order will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday (9/1/2019).

Volusia County – Volusia County officials will issue a mandatory evacuation order at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2, for residents who live on the beachside and in low-lying areas, RVs and mobile homes. However, residents don’t have to wait until the order is issued. If you have a place to go, it would be best to leave the area today.

You can find your “Zone” and more information HERE

Please heed Governor Ron DeSantis advice:

Unfortunately the forecast models for this storm cannot predict exactly when hurricane Dorian may take a turn to the North.   Therefore all in the path of uncertainty should plan for the worst, and pray for the best.   Given the scale and power of this particulate storm, that planning should include evacuating your family as soon as reasonably possible.

Remember, right now all decisions are yours.  You are in complete proactive control over what actions you are taking.  There may come a time when you are reacting to events and situations that are no longer in your control… However, that time is not yet upon you.

If you are able to leave the East coast from the areas outlined within the greatest threat, it would be prudent and wise to do so.  Try not to wait until the last minute.

Everything will be OK.  Do not allow yourself to be overcome with concern or fear to the point your are too anxious to function smartly.  Do not succumb to dark imaginings; focus on what you can do, not what you fear you cannot do.

If you have prepared yourself and your family, reach out to friends and neighbors to ask if they might need assistance.  One of the greatest ways to avoid feeling a lack of control, is to help others.  By helping others you help yourself more than you know.

Ask your neighbors, particularly the elderly, if they need any assistance in the event of an evacuation.  Many people are fraught with pride and find it difficult to ask for help. Get beyond that yourself, and help others get beyond that through genuine care and concern.

Try to keep all of your activity in the Green Box.  “What I am doing is not urgent, but it is important and adds value to me and my family.” Stress is manageable here.

Smart, empowered and thoughtful people spend the maximum amount of their time and energy in the place where things are not urgent, but they are -or will be- important.

As the storm approaches, and if the storm hits your area, you could/will eventually be in the Urgent/Important “reactionary box” where decisions and actions are forced by the situation.

Have faith in your family and friends.  Be thankful for the marvels of technology that allow us to prepare and be proactive.   Everything will be OK, even if we lose all your material possessions; we will be OK.

Our trucks are loaded; our teams are staged; there are thousands of really decent, hard-working and smart people ready to move and activate if recovery is needed.  We have angels on our shoulders.  Strive to be thankful amid adversity.