Last updated: 08:33 AM ET, Sat September 07 2019

Hurricane Dorian Continues to Impact Travel Along US Atlantic Coast

Impacting Travel Donald Wood September 05, 2019

hurricane, dorian, travel
PHOTO: Hurricane Dorian. (photo via Cayobo / flickr)

Update: September 7, 2019 at 8:10 a.m. ET

After bringing devastation to North Carolina Friday, Hurricane Dorian is now moving past New England as it races toward Atlantic Canada.

According to Weather.com, Dorian is now a Category 1 storm with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 310 miles from the center and hurricane-force winds extending up to 105 miles from the center.

FlightAware.com is reporting over 150 flights to and from airports in the U.S. have been canceled Saturday and more than 280 flights have already been delayed.

Impacted airports include Norfolk International Airport, Nantucket Memorial Airport and Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

Update: September 6, 2019 at 3:45 p.m. ET

Hurricane Dorian made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm Friday and brought serious flooding, powerful winds and storm surge. Some residents on Ocracoke Island were stranded by the storm.

According to Weather.com, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper revealed that hundreds of residents were stuck on Ocracoke Island and rescue crews from the Hyde County Sheriff's Office were on their way. Cooper said the island experienced “catastrophic flooding.”

The aviation industry continues to be impacted by Dorian, with FlightAware.com reporting over 350 flights to and from airports in the U.S. affected by the storm have been canceled Friday and more than 1,560 flights have already been delayed.

Norfolk International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charleston International Airport and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport were the facilities most impacted Friday. Other regional airports were forced to close completely.

Update: September 6, 2019 at 8:15 a.m. ET

Hurricane Dorian may have been downgraded to a Category 1 storm Friday morning, but it is still dumping torrential rain, storm surge flooding, high winds and tornadoes on North Carolina and southeast Virginia.

According to Weather.com, Dorian is still registering maximum sustained winds of 81 miles per hour with gusts reaching 94 miles per hour. Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 220 miles from the center, while hurricane-force winds extend up to 60 miles from the center.

The storm is forecasted to move out to sea Friday night before moving in a northern direction along the Atlantic Coast overnight. Dorian is then expected to bring rain to southeast New England Friday into Saturday before slamming into Atlantic Canada as a hurricane this weekend.

FlightAware.com is reporting over 280 flights to and from airports in the U.S. impacted by the storm have been canceled Friday morning and more than 225 flights have already been delayed. Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Charleston International Airport are the facilities most impacted b the delays and cancellations.

As for the cruise industry, the Port of Charleston was temporarily closed Thursday into Friday due to the storm, but officials said it will reopen by Friday night with a minimal impact on sailings, according to Cruise Critic.

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Deputy Director General Ellison Thompson released a statement on the impact Dorian had on The Bahamas:

“While we are still processing the impact that Hurricane Dorian has had on our country, we must stay strong for our friends, loved ones and neighbors on Grand Bahama Island and The Abacos. We appreciate the outpouring of support from citizens around the world and we ask that you continue to donate, continue to send prayers and continue to visit Nassau, Paradise Island and the Out Islands that were not affected."

Update: September 5, 2019 at 3:40 p.m. ET

The brunt of Hurricane Dorian is bringing storm surge, rainfall flooding, high winds and tornadoes to the Carolinas Thursday afternoon.

According to Weather.com, Dorian has been reduced to a Category 2 storm, but it is still unleashing hurricane-force winds in South Carolina. Forecasters believe the storm will impact southeast Virginia Friday before moving out to see slightly and then returning to dump heavy rain and wind on Massachusetts Saturday.

As for Dorian’s impact on the aviation industry, FlightAware.com is reporting over 550 flights to and from airports in the U.S. impacted by the storm have been canceled Thursday and more than 1,360 flights have already been delayed.

While the cruise industry continues to return to normal, the cruise lines that serve the region are stepping up their efforts to help The Bahamas. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and MSC Group have added their names to the group working to bring the relief and recovery assistance to the local population and businesses that need them the most.

After gaining strength overnight and becoming a Category 3 storm, Hurricane Dorian is now making its impact on the coastal areas of South Carolina and North Carolina with storm surge, rainfall flooding and high winds.

According to AccuWeather.com, Dorian’s maximum sustained winds increased to the 115 miles per hour, with tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 195 miles from the eye and hurricane-force winds extending up to 60 miles from the eye.

The hurricane is expected to continue moving north along the Atlantic coast of the Southeast United States, with southeast Virginia likely to face the wrath of the storm Friday.

As for the hurricane’s continued impact on travel, FlightAware.com is reporting over 500 flights to and from airports in the U.S. impacted by the storm have been canceled Thursday morning and more than 300 flights have already been delayed.

The airports experiencing the most delays and cancellations include Charleston International, Charlotte Douglas International, Savannah/Hilton Head International and Myrtle Beach International. Many of the airports in Florida which closed ahead Dorian have now reopened.

Airlines serving flights to the impacted airports in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia have issued travel advisories and are waiving change fees, including top carriers such as American, Delta, Southwest and United.

For cruise passengers, ports in Freeport, Jacksonville and Charleston remain closed Thursday, but major ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach are once again open for business. In total, over 25 voyages had to change their itineraries due to Dorian, according to Cruise Critic.

The cruise lines serving the region have started pledging money and resources to The Bahamas following the devastation of the hurricane, with Disney, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian donating over $5 million combined so far.

While the death toll in The Bahamas has risen to at least 20 and tens of thousands of homes were damaged by Dorian, other portions of the island chain were relatively unscathed, including Nassau and Paradise Island.

Rail travelers are also dealing with delays and cancellations, with Amtrak announcing severe weather in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions has forced the company to modify schedules and cancel select services between Thursday and Saturday.

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