Tropical Storm Isaias Batters Puerto Rico, On Track Toward Florida And The East Coast

TOPLINE

Heavy rains and gusty winds from Tropical Storm Isaias have pummeled Puerto Rico, bringing “potentially life-threatening flash flooding” to the island and reportedly knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, while the storm is expected to gain strength before taking aim at Florida.

KEY FACTS

400,000 electric customers were without power Thursday in Puerto Rico, according to the Associated Press, and flooding of homes has been reported.

The National Hurricane Center is warning of “potentially life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides” in Puerto Rico and its neighboring island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The storm had 60 mph sustained winds Thursday, but the system is very large, with tropical storm force winds—39 mph or higher—extending over 300 miles away from its center.

Isaias’ center was nearing Hispaniola Thursday afternoon, and the National Hurricane Center expects the storm will be near hurricane strength when it approaches Florida over the weekend before turning northward and potentially threatening the U.S. East Coast.

“The intensity forecast remains challenging,” the National Hurricane Center noted, especially since it’s not clear how long the storm might remain over land in Hispaniola.

Florida is the U.S. coronavirus epicenter, but the state is set to close all drive-through and walk-up testing sites starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, which likely would not be able to withstand tropical storm force winds.

KEY BACKGROUND

Puerto Rico has been devastated by natural disasters recently. Much of the island is still a long way from recovering after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, killing over 3,000. This year, it’s been earthquakes that have plagued Puerto Rico, especially southern areas, which are dealing with near-daily tremors.

CRITICAL QUOTE

“The emotional state of people is deteriorating more every day,” Santos Seda, mayor of the southern town of Guánica, told the Associated Press

TANGENT

Isaias is the earliest a ninth storm has ever formed in an Atlantic hurricane season, where records date back to 1851. The 2020 season is far outpacing any season in history, even the historic 2005 season, which brought hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. But this season’s storms have not come close to matching the strength of 2005’s as of yet. Hurricane Hanna, which was a Category 1 hurricane when it hit south Texas last weekend, has been this season’s only hurricane so far.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Long-term forecasts are calling for the 2020 season to be among the most active ever, but the historical peak of hurricane season is still a long way away. The most active part of hurricane season is usually mid-September. But on Thursday, forecasters were also watching a system off the coast of Africa, which the National Hurricane Center gives a 50% chance of developing over the next two days.

FURTHER READING

Storm Isaias unleashes flooding, landslides in Puerto Rico (Associated Press)

Florida Shuts Testing Centres As Storm Looms, Just As State Shatters Coronavirus Deaths Record (Forbes)

2 tremors shake Puerto Rico, latest in series of quakes (Associated Press)

Get Ready For An Above-Average Hurricane Season, Forecasters Say (Forbes)

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