National Hurricane Centre Director Kenneth Graham said earlier that they are forecasting the potential of a Category 4 storm, with 130 mile an hour winds, by the time it makes landfall in Florida.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for the entire state as Hurricane Dorian approaches. Dorian is reportedly forecast to increase in strength over the coming days and may affect parts of the Bahamas and much of Florida later in the weekend.
US President Donald Trump earlier on Thursday canceled a scheduled weekend trip to Poland because of the approaching Hurricane Dorian.
The Axios news portal reported earlier this week, citing sources, that Trump had discussed with national security officials the possibility of using nuclear bombs to prevent hurricanes from reaching the United States.
The publication noted that the idea of nuking hurricanes, which cause major damage to the US economy, was previously floated by a government scientist and some members of the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a nuclear explosion cannot alter the path of a storm, but radioactive fallout will cause major damage to humans, animals and the environment.
Meanwhile, from Florida to South and North Carolina, state and local authorities are reportedly preparing for the hurricane’s landfall, subsequent flooding and possible loss of electricity.
The US state of Florida will be reportedly a critical state in the 2020 US presidential election. Trump is under fire from critics for his lackluster response to Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico, killing some 3,000 in 2017.