Isaias Strengthens: Hurricane Warning In Effect For Parts of FL

MIAMI, FL — A hurricane watch has been upgraded to a hurricane warning for parts of Florida as Hurricane Isaias churns closer to the Sunshine State and threatens the entire East Coast of the United States.

Florida's hurricane warning came on a sunny day when some businesses and residents in South Florida raced to erect storm shutters and others filled sandbags ahead of the Category 1 storm, which was expected to strengthen before potentially bringing what might now be hurricane conditions in some heavily populated areas of South Florida late Saturday and Saturday night.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Friday in every coastal county that is likely to be affected by the storm along Florida's east coast from Miami-Dade County in South Florida to Nassau County north of Jacksonville.

"The most important thing people can do right now is just remain vigilant and pay close attention to local warnings and local news," DeSantis said, noting the state has set up a PPE reserve for hurricane season that includes 20 million masks, 22 million gloves, 1.6 million face shields, 10 million gowns, 270,000 coveralls and 20,000 thermometers. "You should presume that if you are in the path of the storm, you could lose power, so prepare accordingly. Make sure that if you do live in an evacuation zone, you know that if you are ordered to evacuate, you take it seriously and follow suit."

The hurricane warning was in effect from Boca Raton in Palm Beach County up to the Volusia-Brevard county line, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A hurricane watch was in effect from Hallandale Beach in Broward County up to Boca Raton and from the Volusia-Brevard county line to the Volusia-Flagler county line.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from north of Ocean Reef to south of Boca Raton and Lake Okeechobee.

A tropical storm watch was in effect from the Volusia-Flagler county line to Ponte Vedre Beach while a storm surge watch was in effect for Jupiter Inlet to Ponte Vedra Beach.

The forecast cone shifted slightly westward on Friday, which increases the possibility that Isaias will come much closer to shore in South Florida than previously anticipated.

Pablo Santos, the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Miami, said any minor shift of the forecast cone could bring hurricane-force winds to areas under a watch or warning.

Isaias was packing maximum sustained winds of 80 mph as of 8 p.m., which represents a 5 mph increase over the previous update. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center of Isaias, while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles.

"Isaias is moving toward the northwest near 15 mph... and a general northwestward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected for the next day or so, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest by late Sunday," the National Hurricane Center said in its 8 p.m. advisory. "On the forecast track, the center of Isaias will move near or over the central Bahamas tonight, near or over the northwestern Bahamas Saturday and near the east coast of the Florida peninsula Saturday afternoon through Sunday."

The now-slowing storm not only threatens portions of the Sunshine State but also Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

South Florida into east-central Florida would see 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maximum totals of 6 inches, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Northeast Florida into coastal Georgia could see 1 to 2 inches. The Carolinas into the mid-Atlantic, including the southern and central Appalachians, could see 2 to 4 inches, with isolated maximum totals of 6 inches.

"Heavy rainfall from Isaias could result in isolated flash and urban flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas," the National Hurricane Center said. "Isolated minor river flooding is possible across the eastern Carolinas and into Virginia."

The east coast of Florida and the southeastern U.S. coast could see swells Saturday that are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

"Dangerous storm surge is possible along the Florida east coast from Jupiter Inlet to Ponte Vedra Beach where water rises of 2 to 4 feet above ground level are possible along the immediate coastline and adjacent waterways," according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm was about 175 miles south-southeast of Nassau and about 310 miles southeast of Freeport Grand Bahama Island as of 8 p.m. Friday.

In Miami-Dade County, which is considered to be the epicenter of Florida's coronavirus outbreak, Emergency Management Director Frank Rollason said officials will take special precautions if evacuations are ordered.

"They'll be screened, asked if they have any particular signs or symptoms," he said. "Their temperature will be taken. If they present to us with a particular problem, or if they have been cohabitating with somebody that is positive and has that exposure, we will isolate them away from general population in the evacuation center by utilizing school classrooms."

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez urged his 2.8 million residents to wear masks if they ride out the storm with people outside of their regular households.

"If you are going to be sheltering with somebody else when you have maybe one or two families together, you need to start to separate inside the home," Gimenez cautioned.

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Miami-Dade County-operated beaches, parks, marinas, golf courses and the Deering Estate will be closed Saturday ahead of Isaias. Beaches in Miami Beach will also be closed.

Florida state officials shut down all state-supported drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing sites ahead of the possible arrival of Isaias.

"All sites have free-standing structures, including tents and other equipment, which cannot withstand tropical storm-force winds, and could cause damage to people and property if not secured," state officials said.

See related:

• Hurricane Isaias: Hurricane Shelters Adapt To Pandemic Protocols
• Hurricane Isaias: Power Outages: How To Prepare
• Miami-Dade County Parks, Beaches To Close Ahead Of Isaias
• Coast Guard Urges Vessels To Prepare For Tropical Cyclone 9
• Pinellas County Monitoring Potential Tropical Storm Isaias, Time To Prepare
• St. Pete Testing Site Closes Ahead Of Tropical Storm Precaution
• 2020 Hurricane Season Brings Uncertainty, Sleepless Nights

A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. That is a higher level alert than a hurricane watch, which means hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area.