
Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Northwestern Bahamas Sunday afternoon as a Category 5 and descended with fury - snapping trees, ripping the roofs off of homes with 185mph winds and 220mph gusts, and sending waves crashing onto the street.

Dorian made landfall in Elbow Cay in the Abacos Islands at 12.40pm ET, creating 'catastrophic' conditions, and made a second landfall at 2pm on the Great Abaco Island, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm brought with it storm surges 18 to 23 feet above normal tide and pounding wind and rain, making it the strongest hurricane in modern records to batter this part of the Bahamian islands.

Dorian is also tied for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall on record, on par with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

'This is a life-threatening situation. Residents there should take immediate shelter. Do not venture into the eye if it passes over your location,' the NHC said in an advisory after landfall.

As the eyewall of the storm hit the island, it bent utility poles and snapped trees and beat buildings with the howling wind. Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced Sunday parts of Marsh Harbor - a town of more than 6,000 - appeared to be 'underwater', sending desperate locals onto their roofs for shelter from the floodwaters.

In one heartbreaking video a mother is heard pleading for help and prayers as she is stuck in the upper level of her Abaco Islands home with her baby while huge floods of water inundate the street.

As Dorian battered the islands and swirled perilously close to the U.S., Florida issued an official hurricane watch from Boca Raton through Brevard County and evacuations for its eastern coast - including President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Hurricane Dorian intensified to a Category 5 on Sunday morning as it bore down on the northern Bahamas with howling winds, surging seas and a threat of torrential rains, forcing some evacuations and hotel closures. Dorian pictured above in this satellite image as it approaches the Bahamas and Florida early Sunday

Slamming down: Hurricane Dorian began to batter The Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sunday afternoon with 180mph winds and wind gusts of over 200 mph

Video taken by locals show how the hurricane ripped the roof of local buildings as Dorian descended in the Bahamas, sending this apartment underwater

The Bahamas were hit with 185 mph winds and gusts of 220 mph as well as storm surges that exceeded 20-f

Landfall: This video shows the start of Hurricane Dorian's wrath in Nassau in the Bahamas Sunday morning

Women pictured sitting on cots in a church that has been turned into a shelter for residents waiting out Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Grand Bahama on Sunday as the storm made landfall

Waiting out the storm: A mother looks after her family on cots at a church turned into a shelter as Hurricane Dorian pounded down on the northern Bahama islands Sunday afternoon

The storm 'is one that we have never seen in the history of the Bahamas,' Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said during a Sunday press conference after Dorian touched down, adding the town of Marsh Harbor - home to 6,000 - appeared to be 'underwater'. Minnis pictured Saturday

President Donald Trump spoke at a FEMA briefing in D.C. on Sunday saying: 'We don't even know what's coming at us. All we know is it's possibly the biggest. I'm not sure that I've ever even heard of a Category 5'

In this update from the National Hurricane Center on Sunday, Dorian shifted course and is headed back towards the south of Florida, but may not make direct landfall there. Sunday Dorian will park over the Bahamas before heading north to the southeastern U.S. coast

Hurricane Dorian's Trajectory Towards Florida

The monster hurricane's path moved slightly towards Florida on Sunday morning, putting parts of South Florida back in the danger zone for a possible landfall, as the storm barrels towards the southeastern coast of the U.S.

The storm is spiraling at an average of 3 mph. Though it may seem like a walking pace, the storm grows more dangerous and powerful as it slowly churns across the Atlantic, aiming north towards south Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, where states of emergencies are in effect in anticipation of a landfall as early as Tuesday.

Dorian evacuations in Florida MANDATORY EVACUATIONS Brevard County - starting at 8am ET Monday Palm Beach County - under tropical storm warning with evacuations effective 1pm ET Sunday Martin County - Evacuations effective 1pm ET Sunday VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS Osceola County Palm Beach County Glades County Hendry County Indian River County Advertisement

President Donald Trump called Dorian 'one of the biggest hurricanes we've ever seen', speaking to reporters while returning from Camp David. 'We have a lot of great people working right now. We don’t know where it’s going to hit but we have an idea,' the president added.

President Donald Trump spoke from FEMA headquarters in Washington D.C. on Sunday, saying 'I ask everyone in Hurricane Dorian's path to heed all warnings and evacuation orders from local authorities.'

While Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas are in the red zone, the president also warned Alabama to be careful. However, the National Weather Service in Birmingham discredited his forecast saying 'Alabama will NOT see any impacts from Dorian. The system will remain too far east.'

'I've been working very hard with Governor DeSantis of Florida, on getting fuel, getting gasoline brought in,' the president said.

'We don't even know what's coming at us. All we know is it's possibly the biggest. I'm not sure that I've ever even heard of a Category 5,' Trump added during the briefing.

On Twitter the president has been actively tweeting warnings to southeastern states, and retweeting posts by Governor Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis tweeted Sunday morning 'Dorian is now an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm, with sustained winds of 180 mph. If you live along the East Coast, please be prepared, gather your supplies and be ready to evacuate if ordered.'

As for now the cone of uncertainty only touches South Florida, but that could change as the storms heads north.

Forecasters predict the storm will hit the Bahamas first, head up, slow as it nears Florida, then likely make landfall in the U.S. on Tuesday or Wednesday.

As of 12.45pm ET, Dorian was located 5 miles east of the Bahamas Great Abaco Island moving at 8mph.

The Bahamas started to brace for Dorian's wrath over the weekend. A woman carries a girl in her arms after being evacuated from a nearby Cay due to the danger of floods after arrive on a ship at the port before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Sweeting's Cay, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Saturday

A woman carries a girl in her arms after being evacuated from a nearby Cay due to the danger of floods after arrive on a ship at the port before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Sweeting's Cay on Saturday

A child evacuated from a nearby Cay due to the danger of floods drags his suitcase when he arrives on a ship at the port before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Sweeting's Cay

'Although the official track forecast does not show landfall, users should not focus on the exact track since a Florida landfall is still a distinct possibility,' the NHC said in a 5am update.

First tropical-force winds are expected to reach South Florida as soon as late Sunday night or early Monday morning before dawn. The storm will bring with it two to four inches of rain in most parts of Florida, with coastal regions seeing four to six inches.

Dorian batters the Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian made landfall twice on Sunday afternoon and first slammed Great Guana Cay, just off Great Abaco Island, with devastating winds and rain, causing power outages, and inundating streets with water.

The storm 'is one that we have never seen in the history of the Bahamas,' Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said during a Sunday press conference after Dorian touched down.

'I can say that in the Marsh Harbour area of Abaco, parts of it is already underwater and in some areas you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street or where the ocean begins,' Minnis continued. 'And they have not yet been hit by the brunt of the storm.'

'A pole is just about ready to hit the ground,' local woman Nikieva Wallace said to the Washington Post. After a bang she said 'That was my hurricane shutter. It just flew into the road.' Half an hour later her phone cut out.

'This is the strongest hurricane that's ever hit in the Bahamas,' Resident Tom Creenan said to Reuters. 'I grew up in Florida, so I've been through Andrew.'

'Pray for the people in the Bahamas. Being hit like never before, Category 5. Almost 200 MPH winds,' Trump tweeted as the vicious storm rained down.

The 400,000 residents of the Bahamas will have to hunker down and endure these deadly hurricane conditions for two days. Although some residents left for Nassau and elsewhere days ago, some 500 who live off the cays are riding out the storm, where forecasters are predicting up to two feet of rain and 20-foot storm surges.

Massive evacuations have been ordered with authorities and local volunteers aiding transit by sea and land.

'A vessel departed at 5:30am from Grand Cay with 58 persons onboard in route to Grand Bahama,' Capt. Stephen Russell, director of the National Emergency Management Agency, said. 'There may be a few more, but that’s the most the boat can take now under the circumstances, and that may very well be the last trip there.'

Tourists were sent to government shelters in schools, churches and other buildings offering protection from the storm while residents were evacuating. There are nine hurricane shelters on Grand Bahama and 15 on Abacos.

'My home is all battened up, and I'm preparing right now to leave in a couple of minutes. ... We're not taking no chances,' said Margaret Bassett, a ferry boat driver for the Deep Water Cay resort.

'They said evacuate, you have to evacuate. It's for the best interests of the people.'

Government spokesman Kevin Harris told The Associated Press that the hurricane was expected to affect some 73,000 residents and 23,000 homes.

He said authorities had closed airports in The Abaco Islands, Grand Bahama and Bimini, but Lynden Pindling International Airport in the capital of Nassau would remain open.

A beachgoer runs under the rain at the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk on Saturday in Hollywood, Florida

A man surfs along Lake Worth beach on Saturday in Lake Worth, Florida. Hurricane Dorian is bearing down on the northwestern Bahamas as a Category 4 storm

People line up to buy water at a store before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian, in Freeport, Bahamas, on Friday

Workers board up a shop's window front as they make preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Friday

A boy plays on the beach as a No Swimming flag flies on Saturday in Lake Worth, Florida

Gold Coast Crane workers and Dania Beach lifeguards remove the lifeguard tower in preparation for Hurricane Dorian as the storm approaches the Florida coast on Saturday at Dania Beach, Florida

A large boat is moved to a storage lot on dry land at a marina in Cape Canaveral as boat owners prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian on Saturday

A group of people fish at Dania Beach Pier on Saturday at Dania Beach, Fla. The latest forecast says Hurricane Dorian is expected to stay just off shore of Florida and skirt the coast of Georgia, with the possibility of landfall still a threat on Wednesday, and then continuing up to South Carolina early Thursday

Workers Elmer Ramos (right) and Mariano Arzayus put plywood over the windows of the Yogurt Ur Way Cafe in preparation for Hurricane Dorian as the storm approaches the Florida coast on Saturday in Hollywood

This GOES-16 satellite image taken on Saturday, August 31, 2019 around 4pm by NOAA shows Hurricane Dorian, right, churning over the Atlantic Ocean

Rafiyya Farooq stands on the beach as a storm cloud moves ashore in Vero Beach, Florida on Saturday

The storm-prone Bahamas archipelago on average takes a direct hit from a hurricane every four years, officials say.

Construction codes require homes to have metal reinforcements for roof beams to withstand winds into the upper limits of a Category 4 hurricane, and compliance is generally tight for residents who can afford it.

Poorer communities typically have wooden homes and are generally lower-lying, placing them at tremendous risk.

And the islands are still reeling from 2015's Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 4, 2016's Hurricane Matthew, and 2017's Hurricane Irma.

The U.S. South braces for impact

Key developments - Dorian makes landfall twice in the Bahamas with 185 winds, 220 mph gusts, and over 20-feet-tall sea surges - Dorian became a Category 5 hurricane Sunday morning, set to hit the northern Bahamas with max 180 mph winds - By 8am Sunday, Dorain was located 225 miles east of West Palm Beach moving west at 8 miles an hour - As of Saturday evening, Dorian became a major hurricane and was classified as Category 4 - Dorian has maximum sustained winds of 150mph, just 7 mph shy of a category 5 - As of 8pm on Saturday, Dorian was moving west at a speed of just 8mph - It is likely to make catastrophic landfall in the northwestern Bahamas sometime on Sunday - Bahamian government says hurricane is likely to impact 73,000 residents and 21,000 homes - Dorian is likely to head up the southeastern coast of the United States, sparing Florida of a direct hit - States of emergency have been declared in Florida and the Carolinas - There is a fuel shortage and people are abandoning their cars at gas stations - About 2,500 members of the National Guard have been activated with 1,500 more on standby - Florida could see as much as 15 inches of rain in isolated areas from Hurricane Dorian - Miami city officials have ordered electric scooters off the streets in case they become flying projectiles Advertisement

After walloping the northern Bahamas, Dorian was expected to dance up the U.S. Southeast coast, staying just off the shores of Florida and Georgia on Tuesday and Wednesday before skirting South Carolina and North Carolina on Thursday.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Saturday, mobilizing state resources to prepare for potential storm effects.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced emergency measures, including the lifting of restrictions on transportation.

'Now is the time to prepare and take Dorian seriously,' said Cooper.

'This storm could cause serious damage and bring dangerous conditions to our state. I urge everyone to follow the forecast and listen to their local first responders.'

President Donald Trump already declared a state of emergency.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami stressed that Dorian could still hit Florida, where millions of people have been in the storm's changing potential path.

But after days of predictions that put the state in the center of expected landfalls, the hurricane's projected turn northeast was significant, though it may still strike in the Sunshine State.

Carmen Segura said she had installed hurricane shutters at her house in Miami, bought extra gas and secured water and food for at least three days.

She felts well prepared and less worried given the latest forecasts but was still uneasy given the storm's unpredictability.

'Part of me still feels like: So, now what?' Segura said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned residents along the state's Atlantic coast, 'We're not out of the woods yet.'

He noted some forecast models still bring Dorian close to or even onto the Florida peninsula.

'That could produce life-threatening storm surge and hurricane force winds,' DeSantis said.

'That cone of uncertainty still includes a lot of areas on the east coast of Florida and even into central and north Florida, so we are staying prepared and remaining vigilant.'

He said he spoke with Trump, who pledged any help Florida needs. On Saturday, the shutters were up at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Shops in Palm Beach, Florida are shuttered and boarded up as Floridians brace for the possible impact of Dorian

The image above shows boarded up windows in Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday

Locals and tourists enjoy the beach before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in St. Augustine, Florida on Saturday

President Trump tweeted: 'Looking like our great South Carolina could get hit MUCH harder than first thought. Georgia and North Carolina also. It's moving around and very hard to predict, except that it is one of the biggest and strongest (and really wide) that we have seen in decades. Be safe!'

On Saturday night, Vice President Mike Pence said Trump was receiving briefings and updates at Camp David.

HURRICANE DORIAN'S PATH Friday: Dorian becomes a Category 3 as it moves through the Atlantic Ocean Saturday: Dorian's eye hits the north and east of Turks and Caicos Sunday AM: Dorian becomes a Category 5 and hits the northern Bahamas Monday AM: Dorian continues to batter the Bahamas before heading north Monday PM - Tuesday AM: Dorian slows and potentially hits Florida's southeastern coast Miami

South Beach

Hollywood

Fort Lauderdale

Delray Beach

Jupiter

Port St Lucie

Vero Beach

Sebastian

Cape Canaveral Tuesday PM - Wednesday AM: Dorian heads up and makes landfall in Georgia or the Carolinas Source: The Weather Channel, NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center Advertisement

'It's an extremely dangerous hurricane, and while some are reporting changes in the track, anyone in the path of Hurricane Dorian should listen to state and local and first responders and public safety personnel and heed their warnings,' Pence said.

Pence says FEMA officials are reassessing where to deploy assets as they track the hurricane.

Florida's scramble

Some counties in Florida told residents of barrier islands, mobile homes and low-lying areas to be ready to flee in the coming days.

The storm upended some Labor Day weekend plans: Major airlines allowed travelers to change their reservations without fees, big cruise lines began rerouting their ships and Cumberland Island National Seashore off Georgia closed to visitors.

Disney World and Orlando's other resorts held off announcing any closings.

Sherry Atkinson, who manages a hotel on North Carolina's Outer Banks, said the hurricane wasn't spoiling holiday vacations for guests.

'So far, there hasn't even been a snippet of conversation about evacuations,' she said.

A portion of Florida's east coast was placed under a tropical storm watch Saturday, with winds of 39 to 73 mph possible within two days.

DeSantis said Friday the Florida Highway Patrol would soon begin escorting fuel trucks to help resupply gas stations in advance of the hurricane.

Gasbuddy, whose representatives helped state officials track fuel shortages in 2017 during Hurricane Irma, reported on Friday that more than half of the gas stations in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area were already out of fuel because of drivers stocking up on fuel before the storm hits.

Miami Beach is already experiencing flooding thanks to one of the season's highest tides of the year, a king tide. Pictured: Weston Rice drives through a flooded parking lot as he prepares to drop his jet ski into the water at the Haulover Marine Center on Friday

As much as 15 inches of rain could fall on the already flooded area. Pictured: People walk to their boat through a flooded parking lot at the Haulover Marine Center

Miami Beach residents Omar, left, and Endre Eles place hurricane shutters over windows ahead of Dorian on Friday

Workers cover stained glass windows with plywood sections at the Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach, Florida, in preparation for Hurricane Dorian on Friday

Workers at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida, move a postosuchus statue (left) and an Allosaurus statue (right) in preparation for Dorian, on Friday

The faint hope of dodging Dorian's fury came Friday, even as the storm ratcheted up from a menacing Category 3 hurricane to an even more dangerous Category 4. That raised fears Dorian could become the most powerful hurricane to hit Florida's east coast in nearly 30 years.

In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida where it made landfall, with wind speeds as high as 165mph, killing 65 people and causing $27.3billion in damage.

Residents across Florida have been rushing to supermarkets to collect food and supplies as several stores reported rapidly dwindling supplies.

Home Depot has sent more than 160 truckloads of products to stores in the state so far, a company spokesperson said.

One Walmart Supercenter in Orlando ran out of plain water on Thursday and now only has flavored waters and sports drinks available. The store's canned food shelves are also thinning out fast.

Josefine Larrauri, a retired translator, went to a Publix supermarket in Miami only to find empty shelves in the water section.

'I feel helpless because the whole coast is threatened,' she said. 'What's the use of going all the way to Georgia if it can land there?'

The state government has ordered an additional 200,000 gallons of water for preparing counties on top of the 860,000 gallons already deployed. It is also ready to distribute 1.8 million meals.

On Friday morning, Florida Power and Light activated its emergency response plan, saying in a news release that it has secured some 13,000 employees and additional personnel to help restore power after Dorian hits.

CNN reported that NASA moved a launch platform from the Kennedy Space Center to the Vehicle Assembly Building, about 3.5 miles away.

The $650million platform is the only one that is reportedly available for Space Launch System, the program to send astronauts back to the moon, and maybe even Mars.

Dorian passed to the west of Puerto Rico on Wednesday, brushing the islands of Culebra and Vieques but otherwise sparing the US territory from another disaster as it still reels from 2017's Hurricane Maria.

Supplies at a Walmart in West Miami run low on Friday as residents prepare for Hurricane Dorian

Long lines form for gas at a Costco in Miami as a shortage of fuel spreads across the state

Food and other supplies are expected to disappear quickly as shoppers wait in a long line for a Sam's Club store to open before sunrise

A supervised work crew of female jail prisoners fills sandbags for distribution to local residents in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian

Local residents wait in their vehicles to receive a limit of ten sandbags per car at a sandbag distribution location in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian

The Florida Department of Emergency Management tweeted a lengthy checklist of supplies to have on hand on Wednesday

Florida's most destructive hurricanes Hurricane Andrew: This powerful Category 5 Atlantic hurricane battered the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana in August 1992. At the time it was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida where it made landfall with wind speeds as high as 165mph, killing 65 people and causing $27.3billion in damage. Homestead Florida residents picking through the debris left in the wake of the deadly Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992 Hurricane Irma: Irma was the strongest observed hurricane in the Atlantic causing at least 134 deaths in September 2017. This Category 5 hurricane hit the Leeward Islands, the northeastern Caribbean and the Florida Keys. Trees pictured bent in Hurricane Irma on Sept 10 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Hurricane Michael: This category 5 hurricane was the first to strike the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. The October 2018 storm killed 74 - including 59 in the U.S. and 15 in Central America. It reached peak winds of 160mph before it made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida A damaged home in Mexico Beach, Florida pictured above in the wake of Hurricane Michael Advertisement

Several stores have reported rapidly dwindling supplies, including one Orlando Walmart that ran out of all plain water

A resident fills gas cans in preparation for Hurricane Dorian on Thursday in Winter Springs, Florida

In Brevard County over 100 vehicles lined up at Thursday morning for free sandbags being filled by trustees from the Brevard County Jail

Stunning footage from outer space shows Hurricane Dorian in all its might, swirling towards Florida, where it's forecast to make landfall on Labor Day Monday as a monster Category 4 storm. This was shot from the International Space Station Thursday afternoon

Hurricane Dorian is pictured Thursday in this satellite image as it barrels past Puerto Rico, sparing the island, and heads towards the northern Bahamas and Florida's east coast, leading Florida to declare a state of emergency

'We're happy because there are no damages to report,' Culebra Mayor William Solís told The Associated Press, noting that only one community lost power.

On Thursday morning, President Trump tweeted: 'Puerto Rico is in great shape with Hurricane Dorian taking a largely different route than anticipated. Thank you to FEMA, first responders, and all, for working so hard & being so well prepared. A great result! The bad news, Florida get ready! Storm is building and will be BIG!

'Hurricane Dorian looks like it will be hitting Florida late Sunday night. Be prepared and please follow State and Federal instructions, it will be a very big Hurricane, perhaps one of the biggest!'

Trump cancelled his upcoming trip to Poland, meant to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the country, in light of the hurricane and announced he'll send Vice President Mike Pence in his place.

'It's something very important for me to be here,' he said. 'The storm looks like it could be a very big one indeed.'

His remarks came one day after he was blasted for transferring disaster-relief funds to border control efforts.

The Trump administration announced in July in a notification to Congress that it will move $155million from FEMA's disaster-relief fund to pay for border enforcement efforts.

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried - Florida's only statewide elected Democrat - berated Trump on Twitter Wednesday, writing: 'The President must be out of his mind if he thinks it's a good idea to shift funds out of @FEMA for immigrant detention at the border while a potential Category 3 Hurricane #Dorian bears down on the United States.'

She added: 'We don't need those funds diverted to fuel a xenophobic agenda.'

President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday morning: 'Puerto Rico is in great shape with Hurricane Dorian taking a largely different route than anticipated. Thank you to FEMA, first responders, and all, for working so hard & being so well prepared. A great result! The bad news, Florida get ready! Storm is building and will be BIG! Hurricane Dorian looks like it will be hitting Florida late Sunday night. Be prepared and please follow State and Federal instructions, it will be a very big Hurricane, perhaps one of the biggest!'

Puerto Rico was hit with just a bit of rain as Dorian approached its northeast region but didn't make landfall. A flooded road in Canovanas on the island pictured above

A washed up boat lies on the shore after Dorian slammed St. Thomas of the Virgin Islands on Wednesday