ORLANDO, Fla. _ Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to return back to hurricane status overnight as it approaches southeastern Florida coastlines Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center's 8 p.m. update.
Hurricane warnings are still in effect from Boca Raton in Palm Beach County to the Volusia and Flagler county lines in Central Florida. Isaias downgraded to tropical-storm strength on Saturday afternoon, after the NHC's previous 5 p.m. forecast.
"Don't be fooled," Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news conference following the 5 p.m. update. "We do think it will be upgraded to a hurricane later this evening."
The latest advisory showcased Isaias moving toward the northwest with projections indicating it making landfall along the east-central Florida coast sometime Sunday.
Isaias' maximum sustained winds are near 70 miles per hour, with slow weakening predicted to begin Sunday night and continue through Monday, according to the NHC's latest advisory. On Monday and Tuesday, the center of Isaias will move from offshore the coast of Georgia into the southern mid-Atlantic states.
A storm-surge watch was issued from the Jupiter Inlet to Ponte Vedra Beach. A tropical storm watch was extended northward from Altamaha Sound in Georgia to South Santee River, South Carolina.
The storm's tropical force winds are expected to reach the southeast coast of Florida Saturday night. Isaias' center was about 100 miles southeast of Fort Lauderdale at 8 p.m. After having its strength drained during a pass through the Bahamas, where dry air and wind sheer were present, Isaias was expected to draw strength upon arriving in warmer waters from the Gulf Stream near the Straits of Florida.
Orange County is under a tropical storm warning, and Brevard County was issued a hurricane warning by the National Weather Service on Saturday morning. Communities between the Volusia-Flagler county line and Ponte Vedra Beach are also under a tropical storm warning.
"The global and regional models have come into much better agreement compared to 24 hours ago in taking Isaias northwestward slowly for the next 36 hours or so, and moving the center near or keeping it just offshore the east Central Florida coast," the NHC stated.
Models show tropical storm-force winds, which extend 115 miles away from Isaias' core, could be felt in the Florida Keys by 8 p.m. Saturday, said NHC director Ken Graham.
Tropical storm winds range in strength between 45 and 73 mph. Graham's message to Floridians was hopeful during a 9 a.m. Facebook video, but urged residents to take the storm seriously.
"When you have tropical storm-force winds, it's just too dangerous to be outside," Graham said.
While the storm is forecast to strengthen, Isaias should weaken again upon encountering vertical wind sheer Monday evening as it moves up the Georgia coast and into the southern mid-Atlantic states where it is predicted to become an extratropical cyclone, the NHC said.
The forecast track sticks the center of the storm about 50 miles off the coast of Port St. Lucie at 2 a.m. Sunday with projected sustained winds of 75 mph and higher gusts at its closest approach to Florida.
It's then expected to skirt the coast east of Brevard and Volusia counties during the day Sunday before turning back to the northeast and taking aim at North Carolina's Outer Banks by 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Florida's east coast, from Ocean Reef in Key Largo to Sebastian Inlet at the Brevard County-Indian River County border, remains under a tropical storm watch along with Lake Okeechobee.
The NHC forecast 2 to 4 inches of rain with some pockets of up to 6 inches in South Florida and east Central Florida on Sunday that could result in flash flooding in urban areas with poor drainage. Surf conditions are expected to grow by Saturday with dangerous rip conditions.
