According to the National Hurricane Center, as of 11:00 AM AST (1500 UTC), Hurricane Dorian is moving toward the northwest near 10 mph (17 km/h). A slow turn in a westerly direction is expected to begin tonight and continue into early next week. On this track, the core of Dorian should move over the Atlantic well north of the southeastern and central Bahamas today and tomorrow, be near or over the northwestern Bahamas on Sunday, and be near the Florida peninsula late Monday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Dorian is expected to become a major hurricane later today, and it will remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane while it moves near the northwestern Bahamas and approaches the Florida peninsula into early next week.

Tropical storm conditions are possible by in the northwestern Bahamas by Saturday night or Sunday morning, increasing to hurricane conditions later in the day.

Key Messages:

1. Life-threatening storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds are likely in portions of the northwestern Bahamas, where a hurricane watch is in effect. Residents should execute their hurricane plan and listen to advice given by local emergency officials.

2. Life-threatening storm surge and devastating hurricane-force winds are likely along portions of the Florida east coast by early next week, but it is too soon to determine where the highest storm surge and winds will occur. Residents should have their hurricane plan in place, know if they are in a hurricane evacuation zone, and listen to advice given by local emergency officials.

3. A prolonged period of storm surge, high winds and rainfall is likely in portions of Florida into next week, including the possibility of hurricane-force winds over inland portions of the Florida peninsula.

4. Heavy rains are expected over portions of the Bahamas, Florida, and elsewhere in the southeastern United States this weekend into the middle of next week.

If you are in an evacuation zone and are unable to leave for whatever reason call the Helpline: 800-342-3557

As is being widely reported through mainstream media, the potential for dangerous flooding as a result of Hurricane Dorian is high. As a result, increased situational awareness is advised if you or family members are heading out on the roads in the coming days.

The 511 system is a national traffic information resource established by the U.S. Dept of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The system allows drivers in participating states/cities to dial “511" on their phones and receive real-time traffic information, such as:

• Road closures
• Accidents
• Route detours
• Weather alerts
• AMBER alerts
• Border crossing wait times
• Highway conditions
• Ride-sharing details
• Live camera feeds

35 states currently participate in the 511 system.

When in a participating state, simply dial "511" on your mobile device. Depending on the time and system load, you will either hear recorded messages or speak directly with a human operator who can provide traffic information.

The following websites also provide information on road conditions in the Hurricane Michael impact states:

Florida

https://fl511.com/ (interactive map - real time conditions)

http://www.fdot.gov/info/traffic/trafficwarnings.shtm

Georgia

https://www.511ga.org (interactive map - real time conditions)

http://www.dot.ga.gov

Alabama

https://algotraffic.com/ (interactive map - real time conditions)

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/al.htm