Joaquin "extremely dangerous" storm, forecasters say
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Forecasters say Hurricane Joaquin has strengthened to "an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane," with forecast maps showing the storm passing the Bahamas and then making its way toward the U.S. over the next couple of days.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Thursday afternoon that additional strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours, as the storm moves past the Bahamas, bringing winds, heavy rain, dangerous surf and significant storm surge.
Powerful Hurricane Joaquin bore down Thursday on the lightly populated islands of the central and eastern Bahamas, and forecasters said it could grow more intense while following a path that would near the U.S. East Coast by the weekend.
In the Bahamas, there were no immediate reports of casualties as the storm reached the island chain, said Capt. Stephen Russell, the director of the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency.
The most severe flooding reported so far was on Acklins island, where power went off overnight and phones were down. Russell said some of the roughly 565 people who live there were trapped in their homes.
Bahamas resident Shandira Forbes said she had spoken to her mother on Acklins by phone Thursday.
"She was calling for help because the sea was coming into her house," Forbes said. "People's roofs were lifting up. No one knew (about the storm), so there was no preparedness, there was no meeting, there was nothing."
Missick and other people on the small island gathered in a shelter set up at the St. Christopher Anglican Church. As of Thursday, there was only some minor flooding and power and water were still running.
The storm was predicted to turn to the north and northwest toward the United States on Friday, but forecasters were still gathering data to determine how it might affect the U.S. East Coast, which was already suffering flooding and heavy rains from separate storms.
Chief weathercaster Lonnie Quinn of CBS New York station WCBS-TV reported on "CBS This Morning" Thursday that Joaquin was forecast to strengthen to a Category 4 storm as it turns north but then weaken to as low as a Category 1 storm as it approaches the East Coast.
The storm could make landfall anywhere from North Carolina to Massachusetts, Quinn reports, but there's also a possibility that it could go out into the Atlantic.
"There's still a distinct possibility that this could make landfall somewhere in the U.S.," said Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and hurricane center spokesman.
Joaquin had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and hurricane strength winds extending 45 miles from the eye, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. As of 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was located about 15 miles northwest of Crooked Island after passing over Samana Cays, Bahamas. It was moving southwest at 6 mph.
In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. He said it's too soon to know whether the hurricane will have a direct impact on the state, but warned of coastal flooding Friday and Saturday.
"It's important to note, for the all the residents, that they have to stay informed and watch the news, listen to radio," Christie said during a press conference on Thursday. "The team behind me are prepared for this, they've been through this before with Irene and Sandy."
Christie said he will consider evacuations if necessary, but that it's too early to know if that will be needed. The Republican presidential candidate canceled a campaign stop in New Hampshire that was scheduled for Friday.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that he activated the State Emergency Operations Center in Albany on Wednesday to monitor the storm. He urged New Yorkers to exercise caution.
"As Hurricane Joaquin makes its way up the East Coast, New York is in a much better position today than we have ever been before, but when it comes to Mother Nature, you can never be too prepared," he said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio says officials' latest information on Hurricane Joaquin shows a lessening threat to New York City and the East Coast, though he cautions that it's too early to be sure.
De Blasio said Thursday the nation's largest city is a lot safer and much more prepared today" than it was three years ago when Superstorm Sandy caused major flooding, power outages and other damages.
De Blasio says a hurricane briefing Thursday evening showed "a positive trend" of the storm track moving away from the city. But he notes that an unrelated storm system is expected to cause heavy rain and some flooding in the coming days regardless of what Joaquin does. The mayor says it's too early to know whether any evacuations will be ordered.
Gov. Pat McCrory declared an emergency for all of North Carolina as rain and wind from Hurricane Joaquin threaten to hit the state following days of soaking rain for much of the state.
McCrory said there are no evacuation orders. He said his declaration allows exceptions to weight and time restrictions on trucks while also giving him added authority to respond to trouble. The governor said the added rain from Joaquin could result in deadly flooding for a state that is nearly entirely under flood watches.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe is warning Virginians of the prospect of flooding and power failures as a rain-soaked weather system moves into the state.
At a briefing Thursday at the state's emergency management center in suburban Richmond, the governor and other top officials advised residents to be prepared for the worst -- up to 10 inches of rain.
McAuliffe said western Virginia is already reeling from drenching rain that wiped out or closed roads earlier this week. He declared a state of emergency Wednesday. The governor said more than 800 Virginia National Guard soldiers are ready to be mobilized.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says the state is preparing to mobilize resources to respond to heavy rains and Hurricane Joaquin. The governor declared a state of emergency on Thursday.
He says "while we're hopeful for the best, we're preparing for the worst." Hogan says there's still a great deal of uncertainty about the path of the storm and its potential impact. Still, the governor is urging state residents to start now in preparation of potential heavy rains and flooding.
The Hurricane Center said parts of the Bahamas could see storm surge raising sea levels 5 to 10 feet above normal, with 10 to 15 inches of rain falling on the central Bahamas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center's long-term forecast showed the storm could near the U.S. East Coast along North Carolina and Virginia on Sunday or Monday