Key Biscyane Now “In the Cone” for Tropical Storm Dorian

In this graphic provided by the National Hurricane Center, the predicted track for Tropical Storm Dorian shows most of the Florida peninsula in the “cone of uncertainty,”Aug. 27, 2019. (National Hurricane Center via Key News)

Key Biscayne is now in the five-day “cone of uncertainty” for Tropical Storm Dorian, and Village officials are getting ready if the storm becomes a direct threat to the island.

Fire Chief Eric Lang says Village staffers are being advised there is the potential that leaves may be canceled and that he is shoring up relationships with key vendors, including debris removal.

“The wheels are turning,” Lang said. “We plan for the worst, we hope for the best.”

Lang said all residents should double-check their plan to leave Key Biscayne in the event Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez orders an evacuation.

Most of the Florida peninsula is in the warning cone for an impact by Dorian this weekend. While the track forecast has been coming into sharper focus,  the National Hurricane Center says there are many uncertainties about Dorian, and cautioned people not to let their guard down.

“Uncertainty in the intensity forecast later this week remains higher than usual due to the potential for Dorian’s interaction with Puerto Rico and Hispaniola to weaken the storm,” said Hurricane Specialist Stacy Stewart in a statement.

“The threat of tropical storm or hurricane conditions, along with storm surge, in the Bahamas and along portions of the Florida east coast have increased. Residents in these areas should monitor the progress of Dorian and ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place,” Stewart wrote.

Tuesday, officials issued a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch for Puerto Rico.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dorian was 330 miles south of Puerto Rico and moving west northwest at 13 mph (20 kph). Maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph). Forecasters adjusted the storm’s predicted track after Dorian reorganized itself further north of its earlier position.

Forecasters said it could hit Puerto Rico late Wednesday near hurricane strength and then strike the southeast corner of the Dominican Republic Wednesday night.

Dorian is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Lesser Antilles during the next several hours.  Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches is expected from Martinique to St. Vincent with isolated totals as high as 10 inches possible.

In Puerto Rico, hundreds of people have been crowding into grocery stores and gas stations to prepare for Dorian, buying food, water and generators, among other things. Many are worried about power outages and heavy rains on an island still struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that hit in September 2017. Some 30,000 homes still have blue tarps as roofs and the electrical grid remains fragile and prone to outages even during brief rain showers.

On Monday, Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency and provided a list of all the new equipment that public agencies have bought since Hurricane Maria.

“I want everyone to feel calm,” she said. “Agency directors have prepared for the last two years. The experience of Maria has been a great lesson for everyone.”

She said public schools will close Tuesday afternoon and that at least one cruise ship canceled its trip to Puerto Rico. She said those without a proper roof can stay in one of the 360 shelters around the island.

Also on Monday, a new tropical depression formed between the U.S. eastern coast and Bermuda. It was located about 365 miles (590 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and was moving east at 2 mph (4 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). It was expected to become a tropical storm by Tuesday night and continue blowing off the U.S. East Coast this week on a path to Canada’s North Atlantic provinces.

Key News’ Tony Winton contributed to this report. This story has been updated.