RICHMOND, Va. – The National Weather Service expects that most of Virginia will escape Dorian’s wrath, but those living in the eastern part of the state need to remain vigilant until the storm finally turns north. Meteorologists have narrowed the storm’s path to about a hundred mile radius; however, they are waiting for Dorian to take that final turn to the north. Southwest Virginia could experience some gusty winds and other effects later in the week.

Meanwhile,  Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency in advance of Hurricane Dorian, urging Virginians to make preparations now for the approaching storm.

Dorian is expected to impact southeastern Virginia on Thursday and could bring hurricane force winds coastal and inland flooding, storm surge, and prolonged power outages.

A state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources and to deploy people and equipment to assist in response and recovery efforts.

The declaration also allows officials from Virginia to coordinate planning and evacuation resources with the state of North Carolina.

In North Carolina, a mandatory evacuation has been issued for all visitors to Dare County on the Outer Banks, beginning Tuesday at noon. A state of emergency has been issued for Dare County, North Carolina.

That includes the Outer Banks spots like Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, and Southern Shores.

In addition to the evacuation, the state of emergency includes a ban on swimming in the ocean due to dangerous surf conditions and strong rip currents.