On August 30, Dorian became a first major hurricane of the season, and then became a Category 4 hurricane from a Category 2 in 9 hours. Dorian later became a Category 5 hurricane, making 2019 the fourth consecutive season to feature at least one Category 5 hurricane (Matthew in 2016, Irma and Maria in 2017, and Michael in 2018). The storm was the second most-intense storm to strike anywhere in the Atlantic basin.
Dorian struck the north western Bahamas with 185 mph sustained winds and heavy flooding. This was the most powerful tropical cyclone on the record to hit the Bahamas, and is regarded as the worst natural disaster in the country's history.
