Powerful Hurricane Dorian is battering Grand Bahama on Monday as South Florida is waiting for Dorian to make that northward turn that will keep the core of the hurricane well offshore. Very windy conditions, periods of very heavy rain, dangerous swells and coastal flooding are expected for the east coast metro area from mid-morning on Monday into Tuesday. Isolated tornadoes are possible throughout South Florida, as are periods of heavy rain.

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Category 5 Hurricane Dorian continues to pummel Grand Bahama Island early Monday. And we’re watching to see if Dorian may have started a slow turn to the west-northwest and then north that could keep it a bit farther from the Florida coast.

At 8 am Monday, Dorian was located near 26.7 North, 78.2 West, about 35 miles east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. Maximum sustained winds were 165 miles per hour. Dorian was crawling slightly northwest of due west at 1 mile per hour. Time will tell whether the slight change in direction indicates an earlier than expected turn to the northwest and then north — which would keep Dorian along the eastern side of the cone and moderate the hurricane’s effects along the Florida coast. Dorian reacting to a breakdown in steering currents in the atmosphere which is forecast to lead to a northward turn early on Tuesday.

In Florida, a hurricane warning is in effect from Jupiter Inlet north to the Volusia/Brevard county line. A hurricane watch is in effect for just north of Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet and from the Volusia/Brevard line to near the Florida/Georgia border.

In South Florida, a tropical storm warning is in effect from Deerfield Beach to Jupiter Inlet. And there are tropical storm watches from Deerfield Beach to Golden Beach (at the Miami-Dade/Broward line) and for Lake Okeechobee.

Our local weather is dominated by Hurricane Dorian on Monday and Tuesday. Palm Beach County and extreme northeastern Broward can expect prolonged tropical storm conditions and possible hurricane strength gusts. The rest of Broward and northern portions of Miami-Dade can expect periods of tropical storm force winds. Elsewhere, look for very windy conditions with tropical storm force gusts at times. Look for a gradual south to north decrease in winds and rain Tuesday afternoon and evening. Highs on Monday and Tuesday will be in the upper 80s.

Wednesday will be cloudy and very breezy, with periods of heavy rain. Wednesday’s highs will be in the upper 80s.

Thursday will feature some sun, some clouds, and passing showers and storms. Thursday’s highs will be in the low 90s.

Friday’s forecast includes good sun, some clouds, and the chance of a shower or storm. Highs on Friday will be in the low 90s.

And there are other features in the tropics to note. The area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico has a medium chance of becoming a depression during the next 5 days as it moves slowly westward. Another area of low pressure in the central Atlantic has a medium chance of development as it moves generally northward in the direction of Bermuda. And the wave about 150 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands has a high chance of becoming a depression in the eastern Atlantic.