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Hurricane Matthew: 'monster' storm hits Florida after hundreds killed in Haiti – live
Hurricane Matthew: 'monster' storm hits Florida after hundreds killed in Haiti – live
(35 minutes later)
10.22am BST
10:22
Winds are currently strongest in Brevard County, Volutia County and the Melbourne area, and local news channel WFTV Channel 9 reports 100,000 households are without power in Brevard County.
It appears Florida’s southern coast is likely to escape the worst of the damage: in the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane warning covering Jupiter Inlet to Boca Raton has been downgraded to a tropical storm warning. South of Boca Raton, a tropical storm warning has been cancelled.
Hurricane Matthew is expected to reach its most violent in Florida in a few hours’ time, between 10am and 1pm EDT, local news reports – although the Weather Channel notes it will then move north.
Updated
at 10.30am BST
10.12am BST
10:12
Fasten your seatbelts for stomach-churning footage from the cockpit of an NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft tracking the eye of Hurricane Matthew’s storm yesterday:
Very turbulent flight today into the eye of powerful Cat 4 #HurricaneMatthew on WP-3D Orion #NOAA43. Credit: CAPT Tim Gallagher/NOAA pic.twitter.com/8VJpKzs3mn
10.01am BST
10.01am BST
10:01
10:01
Drone footage from Haiti shows the devastation Hurricane Matthew has already wreaked there. At least 300 people have been killed by the storm, which hit there on Tuesday.
Drone footage from Haiti shows the devastation Hurricane Matthew caused there. At least 300 people have been killed by the storm, which hit Haiti on Tuesday.
Updated
at 10.11am BST
9.58am BST
9.58am BST
09:58
09:58
Video shown on Florida channel WFTV Channel 9 (on Facebook Live here) shows shop awnings and other debris being whipped around in the wind in Melbourne, and electricity transformers exploding in Rockledge.
Video shown on Florida channel WFTV Channel 9 (on Facebook Live here) shows shop awnings and other debris being whipped around in the wind in Melbourne, and electricity transformers exploding in Rockledge.
Meanwhile 66,000 homes are without power in Brevard County. “If you still have power in Brevard County, most likely it’s going to go out,” a presenter says.
Meanwhile 66,000 homes are without power in Brevard County. “If you still have power in Brevard County, most likely it’s going to go out,” a presenter says.
Updated
Updated
at 9.59am BST
at 9.59am BST
9.42am BST
9.42am BST
09:42
09:42
The Florida governor Rick Scott, who urged residents to evacuate their homes last night, says Hurricane Matthew is now very close to landfall.
The Florida governor Rick Scott, who urged residents to evacuate their homes last night, says Hurricane Matthew is now very close to landfall.
The eyewall of Hurricane #Matthew is now within 5 miles of the Central Florida coast and extremely close to land. Stay aware.
The eyewall of Hurricane #Matthew is now within 5 miles of the Central Florida coast and extremely close to land. Stay aware.
At a press conference yesterday, Scott called the storm a “monster” and warned: “This is going to kill people.”
At a press conference yesterday, Scott called the storm a “monster” and warned: “This is going to kill people.”
He refused a request from Hillary Clinton’s campaign team to extend a voter registration deadline due to the storm. “Everybody’s had a lot of time to register,” he said. “On top of that, we have lots of opportunities to vote, early voting and absentee voting, so I don’t intend to make any changes.”
He refused a request from Hillary Clinton’s campaign team to extend a voter registration deadline due to the storm. “Everybody’s had a lot of time to register,” he said. “On top of that, we have lots of opportunities to vote, early voting and absentee voting, so I don’t intend to make any changes.”
Updated
Updated
at 9.58am BST
at 9.58am BST
9.22am BST
9.22am BST
09:22
09:22
The Weather Channel reports that severe storm surges are expected, and they could be deadly.
The Weather Channel reports that severe storm surges are expected, and they could be deadly.
And here’s a sobering reminder from 5News meteorologist Garrett Lewis:
And here’s a sobering reminder from 5News meteorologist Garrett Lewis:
Technically #HurricaneMatthew did weaken. But surge & winds are two separate things. Katrina was "only" a Category 3 storm at landfall.
Technically #HurricaneMatthew did weaken. But surge & winds are two separate things. Katrina was "only" a Category 3 storm at landfall.
Updated
Updated
at 9.59am BST
at 9.59am BST
9.05am BST
9.05am BST
09:05
09:05
The National Hurricane Center’s 4am EDT update reports that Hurricane Matthew’s western eyewall – the section where winds are strongest, just outside the eye – is approaching Cape Canaveral, with sustained winds of 46mph and gusts of up to 70mph recorded in Melbourne, Florida.
The National Hurricane Center’s 4am EDT update reports that Hurricane Matthew’s western eyewall – the section where winds are strongest, just outside the eye – is approaching Cape Canaveral, with sustained winds of 46mph and gusts of up to 70mph recorded in Melbourne, Florida.
Updated
Updated
at 10.01am BST
at 10.01am BST
8.48am BST
8.48am BST
08:48
08:48
First hurricane wind reported in #CapeCanaveral. Conditions are quickly deteriorating northward. #Matthew pic.twitter.com/tNxGhGaO1b
First hurricane wind reported in #CapeCanaveral. Conditions are quickly deteriorating northward. #Matthew pic.twitter.com/tNxGhGaO1b
8.47am BST
8.47am BST
08:47
08:47
Here’s a live feed of the scene at Cocoa Beach as the storm intensifies:
Here’s a live feed of the scene at Cocoa Beach as the storm intensifies:
It’s also worth following the Florida news channel WFTV, which is livestreaming reporters braving the elements up and down the coast.
It’s also worth following the Florida news channel WFTV, which is livestreaming reporters braving the elements up and down the coast.
Updated
Updated
at 10.01am BST
at 10.01am BST
8.30am BST
8.30am BST
08:30
08:30
Good morning, this is Alice Ross taking on the liveblog from London, where we’ll be following Matthew’s progress as it nears the Florida coast.
Good morning, this is Alice Ross taking on the liveblog from London, where we’ll be following Matthew’s progress as it nears the Florida coast.
The National Hurricane Center has graded Hurricane Matthew as a category 3 hurricane. According to the Saffir-Simpson grading system, this means the damage is now expected to be “devastating”. In a category 3 hurricane, winds of up to 129mph are expected, homes are likely to be damaged, and trees will be uprooted, blocking roads. Power and water outages are also likely and could last “several days to weeks after the storm passes”.
The National Hurricane Center has graded Hurricane Matthew as a category 3 hurricane. According to the Saffir-Simpson grading system, this means the damage is now expected to be “devastating”. In a category 3 hurricane, winds of up to 129mph are expected, homes are likely to be damaged, and trees will be uprooted, blocking roads. Power and water outages are also likely and could last “several days to weeks after the storm passes”.
Pretty much the only comfort to be had is the fact that Matthew is no longer expected to be a category 4 hurricane – these are classed as causing “catastrophic” damage, with roofs ripped off houses and walls blown down in winds of up to 156mph, leaving residential areas cut off by fallen trees and power poles, and the area “uninhabitable for weeks or months”.
Pretty much the only comfort to be had is the fact that Matthew is no longer expected to be a category 4 hurricane – these are classed as causing “catastrophic” damage, with roofs ripped off houses and walls blown down in winds of up to 156mph, leaving residential areas cut off by fallen trees and power poles, and the area “uninhabitable for weeks or months”.
Updated
Updated
at 10.03am BST
at 10.03am BST
8.07am BST
08:07
If you’re in the region, you can share your experiences of what it’s like where you are by filling in the form below, or by clicking on the blue ‘Contribute’ button at the top of this article. We’ll use a selection of contributions in our reporting.
You can also share your experiences, and photographs, with us via Whatsapp: +447867825056. Please include the words ‘for publish’. Terms and conditions here.
Please only contribute if it is safe to do so.
7.55am BST
07:55
Here's where things stand at 3am EDT
Elle Hunt
“Extremely dangerous” Hurricane Matthew is continuing to move in a north-west direction towards the east coast of Florida at about 15-20 mph.
As at the National Hurricane Center’s 2am EDT update, Hurricane Matthew was a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph, and was 45 miles east of Vero Beach and about 80 miles south-east of Cape Canaveral.
Strong winds and heavy rain have already been reported along the Florida coastline, and conditions are expected to deteriorate further as the storm makes landfall later this morning. More than 200,000 people are without power.
Hurricane Matthew is forecast to near or over the east coast of the Florida peninsula through Friday night and near or over the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina on Saturday.
It is expected to weaken over the next 48 hours but forecast to be a “powerful Category 3 hurricane” as it nears the coast of Florida.
Authorities in the Bahamas are yet to assess the extent of the damage caused by Matthew as it passed through on Wednesday and Thursday, but many without generators are still without power.
The death toll in Haiti is widely being reported as more than 340 people and aid agencies are prioritising clean water and sanitation to prevent the spread of disease in amidst the widespread devastation.
With an update from the National Hurricane Center due shortly, I am handing over our coverage to my colleagues in London. Thank you for following, and if you are in the path of the storm, stay safe.
Updated
at 8.19am BST
7.43am BST
07:43
7.41am BST
07:41
Fox news anchor Shepard Smith has been criticised on social media for his blunt warning to Florida residents – broadcast on Thursday, as the hurricane was battering the Bahamas – about venturing out into Hurricane Matthew.
Thanks Fox News! pic.twitter.com/eGV2CCMSIo
Smith was attempting to communicate the unpredictability of the storm, but he came under fire for the “ominous” warning.
He also urged a friend to evacuate on air.
Shep spoke to a friend in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, who says she's staying put during #HurricaneMatthew https://t.co/ppshqSi3LF
7.25am BST
07:25
The latest Florida Power & Light update puts 213,000 households without power, up from 141,000 at about midnight. Nearly 80,000 of the total are in Palm Beach, and an additional 30,000 are in Martin.
That number is expected to rise over the weekend.
The Weather Network’s “storm hunter” Mark Robinson is posting updates of the conditions from Melbourne to Twitter.
Powerful winds on the bridge out to the barrier island. @TheWeatherNetUS @jwhittalTWN #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/zRMJSZtqkf
Inner bands are starting to come onshore here in Melbourne. Wind speeds ramping up fast. @weathernetwork #Matthew pic.twitter.com/Q6UQFnRERs
7.15am BST
07:15
Hurricane Matthew now Category 3 storm
The National Hurricane Center has published its 2am EDT update, in which Hurricane Matthew is graded as a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
But gusts have increased, with one to 70 mph recorded within the last hour at Vero Beach and another to 60 mph at Melbourne.
The eye of “the extremely dangerous hurricane” is still moving closer to the east coast of Florida, heading in a north-west direction at 14 mph.
Currently, it is about 45 miles east of Vero Beach and about 80 miles south-east of Cape Canaveral.
“A turn towards the north-northwest is expected later today, and a turn toward the north is expected tonight or Saturday. On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will be moving near or over the east coast of the Florida peninsula through tonight and near or over the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina on Saturday. ...
“Although some additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, Matthew is expected to be a powerful Category 3 hurricane as it moves near the coast of Florida.”
A storm surge of between 7 to 11 feet is forecast for coastline from Sebastian Inlet, Florida, to Edisto Beach in South Carolina.
Six to 12 inches of rainfall is also expected with isolated totals near 15 inches along the coasts.
#HurricaneMatthew has weakened to cat 3 storm. Gusts have increased to over 70-mph at Vero Beach, FL. Landfall expected early in AM. pic.twitter.com/sQ2pcvsAHb
The most recent update on Hurricane Nicole was at 11pm EDT on Thursday. It was stationary with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.
7.00am BST
07:00
The Bahamas assess damage as islands remain without power
Hurricane Matthew lashed the Bahamas on Thursday, causing widespread flooding and damage to structures, trees and power lines.
No fatalities were reported, but the Associated Press reported that at least 30 people trapped in their homes by floodwaters on the island of New Providence were rescued by authorities.
The conditions in the capital, Nassau, remain too dangerous for authorities to assess the damage. New Providence has not seen a major hurricane since 1929.
Hurricane Matthew ripped the wall off this hotel in Nassau, Bahamas (photo via @AP) pic.twitter.com/Klm6nHBN66
1:30 pm. #MATTHEW's taking long to pass. We can't seem to shake it off. #Nassau #Bahamas pic.twitter.com/zeHAtiugi2
Incredible #Hurricane #Matthew video coming in from #Nassau #Bahamas, roof blowing off a home. They just evacuated! Video: Jose Ageeb pic.twitter.com/2He1tgrSmL
Clint Watson, a journalist in Nassau, has told CNN that the storm caused widespread structural damage.
“You can tell from the fierce winds the destruction left behind. The island is in a blackout at this point ... Everyone is still hunkered down in their homes until the all-clear is given.”
Officials had shut down power to the entire island of New Providence as a precautionary measure as the storm approached. Those without generators were still without power, and could be for weeks.
Watson said a lot of electricity poles had been “snapped in half” by wind.
“It’s going to take a valiant effort from outside sources to come into the capital.”
6.46am BST
06:46
The death toll in Haiti as a result of Hurricane Matthew is being widely reported as at least 339. This drone footage shows the extent of the damage.
This drone footage shows just some of the devastation caused by #HurricaneMatthew in Haiti, where at least 339 people have died in the storm pic.twitter.com/kbBl6Kfeeo
Updated
at 6.46am BST
6.44am BST
06:44
One model has shown Hurricane Matthew leaving the coast of
Guardian Australia’s environment reporter, Michael Slezak, has spoken to Liz Ritchie-Tyo, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, about Hurricane Matthew’s trajectory.
The smaller Hurricane Nicole, south of Bermuda, might be affecting its path, she said. “It’s very unusual to see see two cyclones in the Atlantic at once.”
The Pacific ocean had warmer sea temperatures and had large-scale circulations that tended to develop more cyclones.
“Tropical cyclones in the Atlantic normally develop out of easterly waves that come off Africa and propagate all the way across the Atlantic. They are the seeds for hurricanes in the Atlantic. And they have to make it all the way across the Atlantic – it’s unusual for two to happen at once.”
Ritchie-Tyo referenced an projection made a few days ago that, after moving away from the Florida coastline and clockwise towards the Caribbean, Hurricane Matthew would circle back weaker – effectively doing a loop-de-loop.
Well look at that!!! New run of the #American #GFS says "hey #Euro, you were on to something earlier". #HurricaneMatthew Loop-de-loop! pic.twitter.com/QCyV6bLol1
This morning's run of GFS US weather model has #HurricaneMatthew doing a bizarre loop off Florida coast! Detail likely to change... pic.twitter.com/tBb5kIKt6P
It would be “very unusual for them to bend back around into the tropics”, she said, but the ridge of high pressure moving east across the US may be forcing Matthew south.
It seems now that it is likely that Matthew will circle back, as was speculated earlier in the week – but weather is unpredictable.
Updated
at 8.17am BST
6.35am BST
06:35
Photos and videos shared to Twitter are showing deteriorating conditions across Florida.
RIGHT NOW: Conditions in West Palm Beach as bad as it's been all night. #HurricaneMatthew @WPTV pic.twitter.com/W87v1GP2pc
Rain coming nonstop now. Wind bursts making some noise. Covering #HurricaneMatthew with @Florida_Today crew. pic.twitter.com/nOYUjYw3Pb
Reed Timmer, an extreme meteorologist with AccuWeather, told CNN live from Cocoa Beach that “the wind is definitely increasing” before his connection with the station was lost.
That location at Cape Canaveral is particularly vulnerable to the storm surge forecast to come with Hurricane Matthew because it is surrounded by water either side.
Close to 2,000 people are watching storm chaser Jeff Piotrowski’s Periscope stream, shot from inside his car at Cocoa Beach, which shows steady, heavy rain and increasing winds.
Conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly in the coming hours.
