JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This is your stop for the latest on how Hurricane Dorian is affecting people and plans throughout Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Clay and Baker counties.
We'll be sharing images and information from the more than 30 reporters and photographers we have in the field, plus government agencies, hospitals, schools and more.
Items will be listed in reverse chronological order with the newest on top. If you have photos, videos or stories you'd like to share, tweet us at #FCNstorm and join our First Coast Weather Watchers page on Facebook.
TUESDAY (9/3)
1:00 p.m.: After 36 hours and stalling over the Bahamas, the structure of Hurricane Dorian has changed.
12:30 p.m.: Dark, ominous clouds are visible from Jax Beach as Hurricane Dorian closes in on the First Coast.
11:30 a.m.: USPS suspends mail delivery at 14 locations on Tuesday across the First Coast, and some trash collection has been suspended in Jacksonville on Wednesday.
11:30 a.m.: Lots of cities along the First Coast could experience damaging winds.
11 a.m. advisory: Hurricane Dorian is a Category 2 storm, moving northwest and growing in size.
9:30 a.m.: JTA suspending transit services starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Service expected to resume on Thursday.
8:30 a.m.: Crews work to reduce the storm surge in St. Augustine Beach.
7:45 a.m.: Neighbors and businesses in Vilano Beach and across the First Coast are boarding up ahead of Hurricane Dorian.
3 a.m. advisory: Hurricane Dorian is a Category 3 storm sitting stationary just to the north of Grand Bahama Island.
2:54 a.m.: First Coast is now out of hurricane Dorian's 'cone of concern.' Here's what that means for us.
2:53 a.m. FCN's Alex Osiadacz is outside the Palm Coast Walmart, now closed and blocked with palates in preparation for Hurricane Dorian. The store is usually open 24 hours.
1 a.m. Hurricane Dorian is a Category 3 storm sitting stationary just to the north of Grand Bahama Island.
12:08 a.m. The FCN newsroom is packed with staff ready to give you the latest updates on Dorian, day or night.
12:08 a.m. FCN's Anne Schindler posts a video of sand dunes at Crescent Beach already breached ahead of Dorian's impact.
MONDAY (9/2):
12 a.m. Reporter Giacomo Luca spots North Florida businesses closing their doors early Tuesday in preparation for Hurricane Dorian.
10:53 p.m. The latest advisory on Hurricane Dorian shows the forecast for our area continues to improve, but Hurricane Warnings and Storm Surge Warnings are still in effect for parts of the First Coast.
8:41 p.m. Wells Fargo announced that it will be shutting down most of its branches in Jacksonville, Clay and St. Johns counties starting Tuesday, Sept. 3.
8:39 p.m. Visiting reporter Giacomo Luca has an evening update from Jacksonville Beach.
8:26 p.m. First Coast News Meteorologist Tim Deegan answers some frequently asked questions on Hurricane Dorian during a Facebook Live.
8:03 p.m. First Coast News reporter Lana Harris captured photos and videos of boarded up homes and businesses in St. Augustine.
7:31 p.m. Jaxport has closed terminals to all commercial traffic. Carnival Cruise Line is still evaluating a cruise set to sail Thursday. Passengers can text CCL12 to CRUISE (278473) for updates.
Houston Meteorologist Blake Matthews, who is in town to help us out during the storm, has some reassurance for people who live inland. But, people on the coast have reason for concern.
6:49 p.m. Amusement park update: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s CityWalk will open as scheduled on Tuesday, however, Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park will be closed. Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park and ESPN Wide World of Sports will be closed Tuesday. The Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs and Epcot close at 3 p.m., Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will close at 2 p.m. Hotels will remain open.
Windows are being boarded at several hotels where First Coast News reporters are staying the duration of the hurricane, so they can be in place as the impacts arrive.
First Coast News reporters have been on several beaches today, all with similar scenes.
This chart shows where you can expect the highest winds where you are.
And this graphic shows a timeline for possible flooding.
6:24 p.m. Glynn County has issued the following update. Zone A, east of I-95, is currently under a Hurricane Watch and is also under an evacuation order. Zone B, west of I-95 is currently under a Tropical Storm Watch. The National Weather Service is predicting large, damaging, and life threatening breaker waves on the beaches.
6:10 p.m. American Airlines has canceled hundreds of flights through Wednesday due to Hurricane Dorian.
6:05 p.m. Florida Power & Light is urging its customers to prepare to be without power. The utility says damage from Hurricane Dorian could cause damage to large areas of the power grid. FPL says it has assembled the largest pre-storm restoration workforce in company history, with approximately 17,000 ready to respond.
First Coast News meteorologists say there is increasing confidence in Dorian's expected track. Visiting Meteorologist who's here from Colorado to help us cover the hurricane, tells us one reason why.
First Coast News Meteorologist Tim Deegan breaks down the when and how of storm surge impacts.
5:24 p.m. The State Attorney's Office will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. It is reinstating its Storm-related Crimes Hotline. Such crimes could include burglaries, fraud, exploitation or other related crimes of opportunity that particularly occurred during a declared state of emergency. Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of a storm-related crime is strongly encouraged to call (904) 255-3099.
5:04 p.m. The Jekyll Island Authority is closing the Sidney Lanier Bridge at 8 p.m. Tuesday. It is also closing the Downing Musgrove Causeway at that time. A curfew will begin as the causeway closes.
4:54 p.m. Glynn County is evacuating Zone A.This includes St. Simons island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island, and Little St. Simons Island, Brunswick, Oak Grove Island, and the low lying areas of the mainland. The Need a Ride program will begin pick-ups at Lanier Plaza and Harris Teeter from until 6 p.m. Monday and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Transport will be to the nearest inland Red Cross shelter. Pets are allowed to travel with evacuees. They must be in a crate, have shot records, and supplies for at least three days. Glynn County is not accepting evacuees and will not open a shelter during the storm. If evacuees need a shelter location, contact the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.
4:47 p.m. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will suspend all transit services Tuesday.This includes all fixed-routes, First Coast Flyer BRT lines and the Skyway. Starting on Tuesday, JTA’s paratransit service Connexion will only perform life-sustaining and evacuation trips, weather permitting.
4:26 p.m. The Neptune Beach Police Department wants to make sure you understand the process for closing bridges:
• As of right now, there is no set time to close bridges.
• Sustained winds of 40MPH or higher dictate when bridges close.
• Evacuations and bridge closures are completely separate from one another. Bridges do not close solely because there are evacuations.
• Once the wind threshold is reached, bridges will stay closed until safe to re-open. There will not be intermittent openings & closings.
• Only trust official sources during times of emergencies. We will notify you when we bridges begin to close.
3:51 p.m. The Clay County Board of County Commissioners is announcing a mandatory evacuation Tuesday at 3 p.m. for Evacuation Zones A and B, and for any low-lying areas and manufactured homes or other vulnerable housing. If you plan to evacuate to an emergency shelter, plan to bring at a minimum:
- Identification
- Disaster supply kit
- Food
- Change of clothes,
- Prescription medications
- Bedding
- Cash and credit cards
- Flashlights and batteries
- Toiletries
- Important papers and phone numbers
- Quiet activities for children
3:50 p.m. Flagler County is issuing a curfew for evacuation zones A, B, and F, which will go into effect at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 3, until further notice. “There is a mandatory evacuation in effect, and we certainly hope everyone is taking this seriously,” Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said. “Law enforcement will be working diligently to ensure that everyone’s property is safe from the criminal element.”
First Coast News Sports Director Chris Porter is asking the questions on many fans' minds.
3:38 p.m. First Coast News Chief Meteorologist Tim Deegan does a Facebook Live to answer your questions about Hurricane Dorian.
3:29 p.m. More than 6,000 military personnel and their families will be affected by the Navy's decision to evacuate non-essential active duty military, civilian employees, drilling reservists, and authorized dependents residing in the Florida counties of Brevard, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie and Volusia counties. By Tuesday morning, Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay will be open to mission essential personnel only.
3:24 p.m. The Jacksonville Humane Society will be closed on Wednesday and plans to reopen on Thursday. A statement said, "If this changes due to the storm’s path, we will update our website (www.jaxhumane.org) and post an announcement on our Facebook page (facebook.com/jaxhumane)."
3:17 p.m. Baptist Medical Center Beaches and Baptist Medical Center Nassau are evacuating patients to their sister hospitals, Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville and Baptist Medical Center South. The process is expected to be complete by the end of the day. Patients are being accompanied by nurses, physicians and technologists to maintain continuity of care. Anyone with a family member who has been hospitalized at Baptist Beaches or Baptist Nassau, and the hospital hasn’t been able to contact you, please call 904.202.2000.
First Coast News reporter Jeff Valin makes a good point: What a difference a day will make.
Our weather team and emergency officials alike urge you, if you're under an evacuation order, do not try to ride out the storm.
2:57 p.m. St. Johns County is closing all Parks and Recreation programs. It says, "All parks and facilities are closed until further notice due to the potential impacts of Hurricane Dorian. Parks and facilities will reopen when safety inspections have been completed and weather conditions allow."
2:25 p.m. First Coast News Meteorologist Lauren Rautenkranz goes live on Facebook to talk to you about the storm.
2:48 p.m. All VA clinics will close in Jacksonville, Palatka, St. Augustine and St. Mary's. Veterans who require immediate urgent care services can call the VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center at 1-877-741-3400 for 24/7 support. Veterans from storm-impacted areas who require immediate assistance may contact the VA Veteran Disaster Line at 1-800-507-4571.
1:51 p.m. Memorial Hospital announces its locations will remain open and caring for patients, except for physician practices, which will be closed on Tuesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 4.
1:49 p.m. The YMCA announces some locations will close Tuesday and all will be closed Wednesday. The following locations will be open until 1 p.m. Tuesday:
- Baptist North
- Barco-Newton
- Brooks
- Dye Clay
- Flagler Center
- Flagler Health+ Village
- Johnson
- Williams
1:34 p.m. Walmart announces closures: Due to Hurricane Dorian’s impact on Florida, some facilities will close or adjust hours of operation starting today. The safety of our customers and associates is always our primary concern. As individual facility status changes, Walmart will update its Hurricane Dorian Facility Status Information page.
1:33 p.m. St. Vincent's medical group offices are closed through Wednesday, including primary care, urgent care and specialty care clinics. All Ascension St. Vincent's hospitals remain open at this time.
1:04 p.m. Naval Station Mayport says it will shift to mission essential personnel this afternoon. The main gate will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.
1:02 p.m. The City of Jacksonville announces its plans for trash pickup:
Monday and Tuesday-normal pickup
Wednesday cancelled-pickup moved to Thursday.
Thursday garbage pickup moved to Friday.
Friday garbage pickup moved to Saturday.
First Coast News Meteorologist has the latest on warnings and watches.
First Coast News Meteorologist answers the question many of you are asking: Will Hurricane Dorian move any faster.
Houston reporter Blake Matthews, who is joining us from KHOU, found the picture work one million words.
Every Hurricane is different, but there's a certain sameness to the preparation.
You've been telling us streets are empty all across the First Coast. It could be more about the holiday than the storm.
Reporter Michael Aaron, who came from THV11 in Little Rock to help us help you through the Hurricane, will be covering Flagler County.
12:48 p.m. The Georgia Department of Transportation will reverse the flow of eastbound I-16 beginning at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The "contraflow" is designed to speed the mandatory evacuation of everyone who lives lives east of I-95 expected to be affected by Hurricane Dorian. It will remain in place until further notice.
12:48 p.m. The Georgia Department of Transportation is announcing the closure of the Sidney Lanier Bridge on US 17/SR 25 in Glynn County and the closing of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge on US 17 in Savannah-Chatham County at 8 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, September 3, 2019 in anticipation of tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Dorian.
First Coast News reporter David Jones is stationed at Jacksonville Beach.
FCN's Jossyln Howard is following developments in St. Augustine.
We are always thrilled to get your photos and videos. That includes before, during and after Dorian. Be sure to join our First Coast Weather Watchers group on Facebook!
12:30 p.m.Putnam County issues a mandatory evacuation for Zone A and low-lying areas effective today. It includes all persons in boats, recreational vehicles and mobile homes. For evacuation information, including route maps and evacuation zones, please visit the Putnam County Hurricane Website at www.putnam-fl.com.
First Coast News anchor Anthony Austin shows us where the magic happens.
FCN Meteorologist Lauren Rautenkranz with the 12 p.m. Dorian update.
More magic happening.
First Coast News Reporter Jessica Clark thinks this is an ominous sign.
Another out of town reporter assisting us is WFAA's Eric Alvarez of Dallas, who used to be one of us. He's been out talking to people who say Hurricane Dorian is nothing to take lightly.
Verify reporter Jason Puckett is here from Charlotte helping First Coast News separate Dorian fact from fiction.
The Mayport Ferry is headed for safe harbor ahead of the approaching storm.
Some shelters being open are for people with special needs. Others are pet-friendly.
Hurricane Dorian dropped in strength earlier, but our meteorologists say it is still a very dangerous storm.
Keep an eye here for evacuation orders, as they could change as Dorian's track becomes more certain.
11:30 a.m.Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry updates residents on the city's plans.
11:26 a.m. Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Floridians threatened by Dorian to get out now while they can.
First Coast News Meteorologist Lauren Rautenkranz explains the 11 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center.
Viewer Diana Halstead shows some bravado in the face of the storm.
Schools are closed today for Labor Day, but many are extending that through Thursday.
Swimming in the ocean is incredibly dangerous right now and riptides are a threat.
Many communities are still shell-shocked from Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. First Coast News Reporter Troy Kless asked some people in Middleburg how they are feeling about Dorian.
Atlantic Coast High School is filling with evacuees instead of students.
We've been seeing people across the First Coast board up in anticipation of heavy winds.
First Coast Living's Alex Livingston with another reminder to take the hurricane seriously.
Hurricane damage isn't always structural. It can be psychological as well.
First Coast News Chief Meteorologist Tim Deegan says the height of Dorian's storm surge is a matter of miles - so the team is keeping a close eye out for any shifts west or east.
If you're planning to board up, be sure to call your hardware store to find out when they'll close. Sounds obvious, but bears repeating.
11:44 a.m.Good Morning Jacksonville anchor Lew Turner tours a neighborhood flooded by Hurricane Matthew.
11:44 a.m. A Sanctuary resident tells GMJ's Lew Turner he's more worried about the storm surge than Hurricane Dorian itself.
Taunting the storm seems to be common practice. "Bye, bye Felicia. Bring it on!"
Not everyone has been in a hurry to evacuate, despite mandatory orders for many zones.
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