VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Hurricane Dorian may be taking its sweet time to visit Florida, however, its outer bands are sending strong wind and rain to the coast as it continues to wreak havoc on the Bahamas.
Even though Dorian no longer is expected to make landfall in Florida, coastal residents are still feeling the impacts. In areas where the hurricane's outer bands have already arrived, 17 counties are under evacuation orders.
News 6's Ezzy Castro was in Volusia County, where the wind and waves are picking up, a sure sign that Dorian is on its way.
According to Castro, visitors were still able to be seen on the beach, gasping over the large waves and massive clouds as Hurricane Dorian began casting a shadow on the Sunshine State.
"The waves are pretty rough and the wind speed is definitely increasing," Castro said.
The Category 2 storm is beginning to inch northwestward after being stationary over the Bahamas, where its relentless winds have caused catastrophic damage and flooding.
Some people on the beach noted seeing debris in the water.
"We've been seeing debris, plastic bottles, shoes all kinds of crazy things," one beachgoer told News 6.
The storm is expected to head slowly north later Tuesday morning, forecasters said. Dorian is forecast to approach Florida Tuesday night through Wednesday evening, pass very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday and then roll "near or over" the North Carolina coast late Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.