Hurricane Dorian resumed strengthening east of the Bahamas on Thursday night after exhibiting little change of intensity during much of the day.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Dorian was located at latitude 23.3°N and longitude 68.4°W which put it about 580 miles (930 km) east of the Northwestern Bahamas.  Dorian was moving toward the northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.

The structure of Hurricane Dorian exhibited little change for much of Thursday.  Storms around the core of Dorian grew stronger on Thursday evening.  An eye with a diameter of 10 miles (16 km) developed at the center of circulation.  A nearly complete ring of thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Dorian.  Storms near the core were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass allowed the surface pressure to start decreasing again.  The circulation around Dorian was still relatively small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out about 25 miles (40 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 100 miles (160 km) from the center.

Hurricane Dorian will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 to 48 hours.  Dorian will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Dorian is likely to intensify to major hurricane status on Friday.  There is the potential for Dorian to strengthen to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale during the weekend.  When Hurricane Dorian becomes a major hurricane, eyewall replacement cycles could cause fluctuations in its intensity.

A ridge of high pressure will build north of Hurricane Dorian on Friday.  The high will block Dorian from moving toward the north and it will turn the hurricane toward the west.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Dorian could approach the Northwestern Bahamas on Sunday and the east coast of Florida on Monday.  Dorian is likely to be a small, but very dangerous hurricane.