Dorian weakened to a Category 2 hurricane at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Dorian was moving twice as fast as it had been at 5 a.m. It's tracking to the northwest with a gradual weakening continuing.
The current track forecasts Dorian will be a Category 2 as it passes off the shore of Jacksonville on Wednesday with forecasted winds offshore of 110 mph.
At 11 a.m. Dorian was centered 105 miles east of Fort Pierce, Florida, according to News partner News4Jax.
Hurricane Dorian weakened some overnight. This is when the hazards - storm surge, winds, heavier rain bands, possible tornadoes - will all begin to ramp up across east-central and southeast Florida with those same hazards spreading north to the First Coast through Wednesday and early Thursday.
Earlier Tuesday morning, Hurricane Dorian had stalled just north of Grand Bahama Island as a Category 3 hurricane with top winds of 120 mph and located 105 miles east of West Palm Beach, as of the 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center.
The majority of the cone of uncertainty, where the center may track, now does not include the State of Florida. However, outer rain bands are already producing tropical storm force winds for much of southern Florida.
Life-threatening storm surge, tropical storm force winds and periods of heavy rain will begin to overspread Florida’s Treasure Coast and Space Coast throughout the day. The category 3 storm is expected to move north-northwest and parallel the Atlantic Coast.
Meanwhile, mandatory evacuations for Jacksonville in Zones A and B are continuing after beginning at 8 a.m. Monday.
Related
- Check Your Evacuation Zone (city website may be slow to load due to heavy use)
- Mayor Curry Announces Shelters Are Open
- What The First Coast Can Expect From Dorian
- Tracking Dorian And More Weather-Related News
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has been offering residents affected by Hurricane Dorian free evacuation shuttles to public shelters.
JTA will suspend all transit services on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. in advance of Hurricane Dorian. This includes all fixed-routes, the First Coast Flyer BRT lines and Skyway.
Until then, JTA spokesman David Cawton said in a news release to WJCT News that area residents can take any JTA bus marked “evacuation shuttle” on a regular JTA bus route.
Designated public pickup locations are:
• Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach
• Mayport Middle School, 2600 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach
• Jacksonville Beach Elementary, 315 S.10th St., Jacksonville Beach
“Transport during a hurricane evacuation may take several hours. Please plan ahead,” Cawton said. “Private vehicles with family and friends are always the quickest and easiest alternatives for evacuating.
The JTA evacuation shuttles are free. If there is no JTA bus service in your area during the hurricane, JTA advises residents to call 904-630-CITY to receive instructions on evacuating.
Starting on Tuesday, JTA's paratransit service Connexion will only perform life-sustaining and evacuation trips, weather permitting
JTA fixed routes have been running this Labor Day on a "Sunday Schedule" and during the evacuation period.
The St. Johns River Ferry closed Monday until the threat from Dorian has passed. The ship will be relocated from Mayport Village.
The Skyway, ReadiRide and other regional services are closed.
JTA anticipates resuming normal operation on Thursday morning, depending on the severity of the storm's impact.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
