Isaias weakens to tropical storm; expected to regain hurricane strength overnight

“Interests along the southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts of the United States should monitor the progress of Isaias. Additional watches or warnings may be required tonight or Sunday,” the hurricane center said.

Hurricane conditions are expected to reach the coast within the hurricane warning area in Florida on Sunday and will spread northward through Sunday night. Tropical storm conditions are expected in northeast Florida by Sunday night and are possible from northeast Florida to South Carolina on Monday.

At 5 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Isaias was located about 95 miles south of Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island and about 115 miles southeast of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. It’s moving toward the northwest near 10 mph.

A general northwestward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected for the next day or so, followed by a north-northwestward motion by late Sunday and a turn toward the north and north- northeast on Monday and Tuesday with an increase in forward speed.

While intensity along the Outer Banks remains unknown, confidence is high that northeast North Carolina will see some impacts. Some restrengthening is forecast, and Isaias is expected to regain hurricane strength tonight. Slow weakening is expected to begin Sunday night and continue through Monday.