Tropical Storm Isaias (pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs) was upgraded from Potential Tropical Storm #9 Wednesday night as satellite imagery improved over a newly developed closed circulation south of Puerto Rico.
Isaias with 50 mph winds, was moving smartly to the west-northwest at 20 mph.
The forecast track and intensity will be highly dependent on its likely interaction with Hispaniola Thursday and possibly Cuba Friday.
The National Hurricane Center's (NHC) forecast track has this system threatening the a good part of the Bahamas late Thursday into Friday and Saturday, and possibly South Florida by Saturday.
An upper trough in the Plains States Wednesday is expected to dip to the Northern Gulf Coast this weekend helping to steer the system northward and away from the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition to Florida, Coastal Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina may be impacted by this storm later this weekend into early next week.
The maximum forecast intensity for U.S. interests per the NHC are for a strong tropical storm with 65 mph winds, but if the forecast track shifts farther to the east and perhaps stays just offshore, it does have some limited hurricane potential.
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