Hurricane Dorian Downgrades After Hitting The Bahamas. South Floridians Want To Help.

Published September 2, 2019 at 4:29 PM EDT

Strong winds move the palms of the palm trees at the first moment of the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Sunday Sept. 1, 2019.

On the Monday, Sept. 2 episode of Sundial:

Hurricane Dorian Downgrades

Hurricane Dorian, one of the strongest storms ever to hit land in the Bahamas as Category 5, sits just off Florida's east coast. As of noon on Monday, the National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to a Category 4. Parts of Palm Beach and Broward Counties brace themselves as people in the Bahamas continue to weather the storm. Forecasters say Dorian might take a turn as it heads north toward the U.S. and it's likely to reduce in strength and speed. Cyndee O’Quinn, a meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network joined Sundial to give the latest information about the storm.

Dorian Hits The Bahamas

Many parts of the Bahamas continue to face a pounding of wind and rain in the storm. Photos and videos are circulating on social media from residents who caught glimpses of the damage, especially during the eye of the storm. WLRN’s Americas Editor Tim Padgett has been monitoring the advance of the storm and joined Sundial for an update on the situation as Hurricane Dorian its path.

A Check-In With Palm Beach and Broward Counties

Palm Beach County is expected to experience hurricane-force winds within the next 24 hours. The county is under a Hurricane Warning, which means hurricane conditions of winds of 74 mph or greater are expected in the next hours. Broward County is under a tropical storm watch. WLRN Palm Beach County reporter Madeline Fox joined us from the Emergency Operations Center in Palm Beach County. And, WLRN's Broward County reporter Caitie Switalski joined from Hollywood.

How To Help The Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian has had a catastrophic effect on the Bahamas. The storm smashed its way over Grand Bahama, the northernmost island, as Category 5. South Floridians are helping already and looking for volunteers to help with relief efforts. Broward County Rep. Shevrin Jones and community activist Valencia Gunder are working on gathering donations and supplies to send to the Bahamas. They joined Sundial to talk about how people can contribute and support the relief and recovery efforts.