Eye of Hurricane Dorian, seen from Hope Town, on the Abaco islands in the Bahamas. Storm-damaged trees and buildings are seen in an area devastated by the hurricane. The top of the Elbow Reef Lighthouse is visible at centre left. The eye of a hurricane is the central area, surrounded by eye-wall clouds (seen here). It is a brief period of calm in the middle of the storm. Hurricane Dorian reached category 5 strength on 1 September 2019, making landfall in the Bahamas where it caused extensive damage, deaths and flooding due to high winds, prolonged rainfall and storm surges.