Dorian has once again strengthened into a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, according to a special advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
The storm had been expected to maintain Category 1 strength as it moved through the Canadian Maritimes and then finally weaken when it crossed into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, according to CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar.
If Dorian maintains Category 2 strength when it makes "official" landfall over Halifax, Nova Scotia, it will be the strongest storm to hit the provincial capital since Hurricane Juan in 2003.
It's expected to make landfall in Nova Scotia on Saturday evening, CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford said. A hurricane warning remains in effect for eastern Nova Scotia and western Newfoundland.
A quick refresher on storm categories: Meteorologists use the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to measure a hurricane's strength.
The system divides storms into five categories:
- Category 1: Winds 74 to 95 mph (Minor damage)
- Category 2: Winds 96 to 110 mph (Extensive damage — Can uproot trees and break windows)
- Category 3: Winds 111 to 129 mph (Devastating — Can break windows and doors)
- Category 4: Winds 130 to 156 mph (Catastrophic damage — Can tear off roofs)
- Category 5: Winds 157 mph or higher (The absolute worst and can level houses and destroy buildings)