Hurricane Dorian: Three More Potential Tropical Cyclones Could Follow Storm

Hurricane Dorian is finally showing signs of weakening after an extensive pounding of the Bahamas, but it remains a dangerous storm that can still have a significant impact along the eastern seaboard. And three weather systems behind it seem poised to become tropical events as well.

The National Hurricane Center, in its 11 a.m. ET update, said the storm’s sustained winds now stand at 110 mph, making it a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. That’s well below its maximum winds of 185mph. The once well-defined eye of the storm is now less so, but Dorian is growing in size. Hurricane force winds currently extend 60 miles from the center of the storm

The storm continues to shift slightly to the east, making it less likely that Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas will see a direct impact, but tropical storm force winds and heavy rain are still expected along the coast. Some states have issued mandatory evacuation orders as well.

A Hurricane Warning has been issued for the coast of South Carolina from north of Edisto Beach to the South Santee River, effectively covering all of Charleston. A Hurricane Watch extends up to Duck, North Carolina, including the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. “The hurricane will … move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late today through Wednesday evening, very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, and near or over the North Carolina coast late Thursday and Thursday night,” said the National Hurricane Center.

While Dorian continues to be the primary focus, hurricane season is revving up with three other disturbances that are being monitored by the NHC. A Tropical Depression is centered in the Gulf of Mexico and projected to impact Mexico as a Tropical Storm on Wednesday and Thursday. A disturbance situated in the Atlantic, has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours and could potentially impact Bermuda. And a third, which is making its way across the Atlantic right now from Africa, is expected to become a tropical depression later today.