Hurricane Isaias takes aim at Georgia, the Carolinas. Here’s the latest timeline

Click here for the latest forecast updates for Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The newly formed Hurricane Isaias is forecast to reach Georgia and the Carolinas on Sunday and Monday, potentially as a Category 1 hurricane, bringing high winds and rain to large swaths of the three states.

It became a Category 1 hurricane around midnight Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said in a tweet.

The eye of the storm will likely stay off the east coast of Florida and move north, where it should reach the Georgia-South Carolina border late Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to be off North Carolina’s Banks by 8 p.m. Monday, the National Hurricane Center says.

“The current forecast track passes 80 miles off the South Carolina coast with Isaias as a 70 mph tropical storm on Monday,” the S.C. Climate Office said Thursday. “Isaias’ strongest winds remain off the S.C. coast east of the forecast track. It is entirely possible that Isaias become a hurricane late Monday before making landfall along the Outer Banks.”

The National Weather Service office at Morehead City, North Carolina, is already warning of potential impact for vacationers staying in coastal counties.

“There is increased confidence that the system will bring elevated surf and rip current activity to eastern NC beaches beginning this weekend, but other impacts remain uncertain, and will be dependent on how the storm develops over the next couple of days,” the National Weather Service said late Wednesday.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore warned Thursday that increased swell and rip current risks could start late Friday and continue through early next week.

The storm battered Puerto Rico on Thursday afternoon with sustained winds of 80 mph and was moving west/northwest at 18 mph toward the Bahamas. That’s a slight drop in speed from Wednesday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward out 240 miles, forecasters say.

Islands in the path of the storm are predicted to see anywhere from 3 to 10 inches of rain, bringing flash flooding and life-threatening surf and rip currents to coastal areas. Wind and rain predictions for the southeastern U.S. have not been released yet.

“Tropical storm conditions are possible along portions of the Florida east coast beginning Saturday,” the National Hurricane Center says. ”Heavy rains associated with Isaias may begin to affect South Florida and east-Central Florida beginning late Friday night, potentially resulting in isolated flash and urban flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas.”

This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Hurricane Isaias takes aim at Georgia, the Carolinas. Here’s the latest timeline."