Hurricane Warning issued for the theme park areas

The National Weather Service has just issued a new advisory, raising the threat level to a Hurricane Warning.

A warning indicates that hurricane level winds are expected within 36 hours, specifically Thursday evening through to Saturday morning.

Disney is monitoring the situation closely, but has not yet announced any operational updates. Based on previous storms, expect to see some impact to entertainment, transportation, special events and possible park closures (either partial or full).

Oct 5 track

Issuing Office: Melbourne
Source: The National Weather Service
11:12am EDT, Wed Oct 5

HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS HURRICANE WIND CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THIS AREA AND WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS

* LOCATIONS AFFECTED - ORLANDO - APOPKA - CHRISTMAS

* WIND - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: EQUIVALENT TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND WITH GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE - PEAK WIND FORECAST: 50-60 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 75 MPH - WINDOW FOR TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS: THURSDAY EVENING UNTIL SATURDAY MORNING

- CURRENT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY: HIGH - THE WIND THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT. - EMERGENCY PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE A REASONABLE THREAT FOR HURRICANE FORCE WIND OF 74 TO 110 MPH OF EQUIVALENT CATEGORY 1 TO 2 INTENSITY. - TO BE SAFE, AGGRESSIVELY PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF EXTENSIVE WIND IMPACTS. REMAINING EFFORTS TO SECURE PROPERTIES SHOULD NOW BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETION. - DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING WIND IS POSSIBLE. FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY SHELTER MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER BEFORE THE WIND BECOMES HAZARDOUS.

- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: EXTENSIVE - CONSIDERABLE ROOF DAMAGE TO STURDY BUILDINGS, WITH SOME HAVING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES LEADING TO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. MOBILE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED, WITH SOME DESTROYED. DAMAGE ACCENTUATED BY AIRBORNE PROJECTILES. LOCATIONS MAY BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS. - MANY LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED ALONG WITH FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER. - SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. SEVERAL BRIDGES, CAUSEWAYS, AND ACCESS ROUTES IMPASSABLE. - LARGE AREAS WITH POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES.

* FLOODING RAIN - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - PEAK RAINFALL AMOUNTS: ADDITIONAL 2-4 INCHES, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS

- CURRENT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY: MODERATE - THE FLOODING RAIN THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT. - EMERGENCY PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE A REASONABLE THREAT FOR MODERATE FLOODING WHERE PEAK RAINFALL TOTALS NOTABLY EXCEED AMOUNTS CONDUCIVE FOR FLASH FLOODING AND RAPID INUNDATION. RESCUES AND EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS ARE POSSIBLE. - TO BE SAFE, EARNESTLY PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SIGNIFICANT FLOODING RAIN IMPACTS. - DANGEROUS FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. IF FLOOD RELATED WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED, HEED RECOMMENDED ACTIONS.

- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: SIGNIFICANT - MODERATE RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT SEVERAL EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES. - RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY BECOME SWOLLEN WITH SWIFT CURRENTS AND OVERSPILL THEIR BANKS IN A FEW PLACES, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE SPOTS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, AND DITCHES WILL OVERFLOW. - FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER SOME STRUCTURES OR WEAKEN FOUNDATIONS. SEVERAL PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE EXPANDED AREAS OF RAPID INUNDATION AT UNDERPASSES, LOW-LYING SPOTS, AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SOME STREETS AND PARKING LOTS TAKE ON MOVING WATER AS STORM DRAINS AND RETENTION PONDS OVERFLOW. DRIVING CONDITIONS WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS WITH SOME ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES.

* TORNADO - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: - SITUATION IS SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES

- CURRENT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY: ELEVATED - THE TORNADO THREAT HAS REMAINED NEARLY STEADY FROM THE PREVIOUS ASSESSMENT. - WHEN IMPLEMENTING EMERGENCY PLANS, INCLUDE A REASONABLE THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. - TO BE SAFE, PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF LIMITED TORNADO IMPACTS. - LISTEN FOR TORNADO WATCHES AND WARNINGS. BE READY TO SHELTER QUICKLY IF A TORNADO APPROACHES.

- POTENTIAL IMPACTS: LIMITED - THE OCCURRENCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOES CAN HINDER THE EXECUTION OF EMERGENCY PLANS DURING TROPICAL EVENTS. - A FEW PLACES MAY EXPERIENCE TORNADO DAMAGE, ALONG WITH POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS DISRUPTIONS. - LOCATIONS COULD REALIZE ROOFS PEELED OFF BUILDINGS, CHIMNEYS TOPPLED, MOBILE HOMES PUSHED OFF FOUNDATIONS OR OVERTURNED, LARGE TREE TOPS AND BRANCHES SNAPPED OFF, SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES KNOCKED OVER, MOVING VEHICLES BLOWN OFF ROADS, AND SMALL BOATS PULLED FROM MOORINGS.