NASSAU, Bahamas — As the eyewall of the strongest storm to hit the Bahamas descended on the picturesque island town of Marsh Harbour, Nikieva Wallace watched in horror.

The full force of Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph, was rolling in on Great Abaco, a northern island of marinas, beach houses and wood-frame huts. Already, storm surge had sent waves crashing onto the street, lapping at coastal homes.

As wind and rain pummeled her town, Wallace saw utility poles bend and trees snap like twigs.

Hurricane Dorian was recently upgraded from a Category 2 hurricane (winds between 96 and 110 mph) to a Category 4 (winds between 130 and 156 mph).

According to the National Hurricane Center, at this level of hurricane strength, "well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months."

The forecast for Hurricane Dorian keeps becoming more ominous and serious, particularly in Florida, even as the specifics as to exactly where it will strike remain uncertain. Dorian steadily strengthened Thursday night and Friday morning, growing into an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 p.m. bulletin. This intensification trend is forecast to continue. By the time Dorian is bearing down on Florida on Labor Day, it is forecast to become a Category 4 with 140 mph winds.