Hurricane Isaias
August 3-4, 2020
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on July 23 and traveled westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It entered the Caribbean Sea on July 29 as a Potential Tropical Cyclone with winds as high as 45 mph.
The system gradually became better organized, and Tropical Storm Isaias was born south of Puerto Rico at 11 p.m. on July 29.
Turning northwestward, Isaias made its first landfall on the Dominican Republic early on July 30, then strengthened to a category one hurricane while moving across the southern Bahamas on July 31.
Dry air, increasing wind shear, and passage of the hurricane's center over Andros Island in the Bahamas weakened Isaias back to a tropical storm on August 1.
Turning north on August 2, Tropical Storm Isaias encountered the warm Gulf Stream water off the Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coastline. However persistent wind shear prevented the storm from strengthening significantly.
Wind shear weakened slightly during the evening of August 3. Isaias took advantage of the more favorable conditions it approached land and once again became a category one hurricane.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina just after 11 pm on August 3 with maximum sustained winds near 85 mph.
Explore the points on this map to see observed wind gusts and storm surge heights, storm total rainfall amounts, and local tornado tracks from Hurricane Isaias.
After passing through the Carolinas, Tropical Storm Isaias continued to move north and impacted major cities in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast including Norfolk, Philadelphia, and New York City.
Flooding due to heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts over 70 mph extended up the coast as far north as Long Island, NY.
Widespread power outages also occurred, in some places for a week.
Read more about Hurricane Isaias' impacts on eastern South and North Carolina here: https://www.weather.gov/ilm/HurricaneIsaias2020
