Hurricane Dorian's path: The forecast for Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas

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ABC News(NEW YORK) — Hurricane Dorian is churning dangerously close to the Southeast coastline Wednesday, where residents from Florida to the Carolinas are bracing for powerful rains, wind and flooding.

Dorian, now a Category 2, is moving north, parallel to the Florida coast, and might make landfall in North Carolina.

Here’s what to expect and when, according to the latest forecast:

Florida

Dorian slammed Florida with strong winds Wednesday morning, bringing wind gusts near 70 mph to New Smyrna Beach.

 

 

Flash flooding, storm surge and strong winds are all possible as Dorian moves along — but still offshore from — Florida’s east coast through Wednesday afternoon.

Storm surge may reach up to 5 feet from Daytona Beach to Jacksonville.

By Wednesday afternoon, the storm will move north off the coast of Jacksonville.

Georgia

Dorian will then continue north, reaching Savannah, Ga., by Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

Life-threatening storm surge and dangerous winds are expected along Georgia’s coast.

South Carolina & North Carolina

A hurricane warning is in effect from Charleston to the North Carolina-Virginia border.

On Thursday morning, Dorian will make a close passage to Charleston — a city very vulnerable to storm surge and flooding — but storm surge and gusty winds will begin well before Dorian arrives.

Dorian is forecast to near Wilmington on Thursday night and may make landfall there.

Dorian will get close to, or even possibly make landfall, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina early Friday morning as a Category 2 hurricane.

The highest storm surge is expected for the South Carolina coast, where up to 8 feet is possible.

The heaviest rainfall from Dorian is expected to hit the coastal Carolinas, where up to 15 inches of rain is possible.

Virginia is even forecast to see some effects from Dorian. A tropical storm watch is in effect for southern Virginia, including Norfolk.

By Friday night, Dorian will leave the U.S. and go out to sea.

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