This article is no longer being updated. For the latest on preparations for Tropical Storm Isaias, click here.
Parts of the North Carolina coast remained under evacuation orders Sunday as Tropical Storm Isaias continued to crawl up the Eastern Seaboard.
Residents of both Carolinas and Georgia were urged to keep an eye on the storm.
Isaias (pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs) remained a tropical storm Sunday morning off the coast of Florida, where about 2,500 homes and businesses had lost power. Isaias had been expected to regain strength after hitting the Bahamas on Saturday, but dry air and wind shear prevented that restrengthening.
Evacuations were ordered in several North Carolina coastal communities ahead of Isaias, including Ocracoke Island and Hatteraas Island. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore also was closed starting Sunday.
(MORE: Here's the Latest Track for Isaias)
Here is a look at developments in Georgia and the Carolinas as storm preparations begin.
North Carolina
Officials in Dare County, which encompasses the Outer Banks north of Ocracoke, met again Sunday morning and decided not to extend evacuations at that time.
All visitors and residents were told to leave Hatteras Island starting at noon Saturday, according to a bulletin from Dare County, because of the possibility of Highway 12 being cut off. The first round of evacuations was for visitors. Residents and property owners are under an evacuation order starting at 6 a.m Monday. The order applies to the villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village.
Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson said swimming is prohibited in the Atlantic Ocean off Dare County because of the potential for deadly rip currents.
The state Department of Emergency Management announced Saturday that an evacuation order for visitors to Ocean Isle Beach would go into effect at noon and at 7 p.m. for visitors to Holden Beach.
Evacuations for Ocracoke Island were announced on Friday. Residents and nonresident property owners were ordered to evacuate beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday.
Currituck County officials on Sunday morning also decided to not issue an evacuation order. The county did declare a state of emergency effective at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore will be closed starting Sunday, according to a news release.
Officials in Dare County advised travelers with plans to visit the Outer Banks to consider delaying their arrival until after Isaias has passed.
"Dare County is likely to experience impacts from the storm as early as Sunday evening, Aug. 2," Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson said in a news release. "Now is the time to assemble or restock your disaster supply kit with essentials to sustain your family and your pets for three to five days. Have your evacuation plan ready to execute."
Rough seas and strong rip currents are expected to create dangerous conditions for beachgoers over the next few days and into next week.
Brunswick County officials announced two shelters would be available if needed, but they urged residents to consider shelters "as a last resort" because of the coronavirus.
Kure Beach, Oak Island, Bald Head Island and Surf City were among the municipalities declaring states of emergency in advance of the storm.
Many of the beach communities had issued mandatory evacuation orders for visitors and renters.
On Friday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency to make state resources available for storm response.
On Sunday, Cooper said, "Our state has weathered more than our fair share of storms. We know how to plan, prepare and respond when it's over. Nothing about that has changed. But this time, we’re going to do it with a mask on. Helping your neighbors and loved ones is even more important as this storm approaches."
South Carolina
Emergency management officials in the city of Charleston officials said flooding is possible with a high tide at 9 p.m. Monday and from storm surge and heavy rainfall. Sandbags will be available to residents beginning at 8 a.m. Monday morning.
The city also made free parking available in four garages so they could avoid street flooding. Pumps are being stationed in low-lying areas.
"We’ve been watching Hurricane Isaias very closely over the past few days," Kim Stenson, director of the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, said in a statement Friday. "There is still a lot of uncertainty in the forecast. It will be important for everyone to review their hurricane plans now and pay close attention to the forecasts over the weekend."
The National Hurricane Center said heavy rain associated with Isaias "could result in isolated flash and urban flooding, especially in low-lying and poorly drained areas, as well as isolated minor river flooding."
Rip currents, high surf and beach erosion are also possible along the South Carolina coast, the National Weather Service said.
Georgia
In Chatham County, which is home to Savannah and Tybee Island, emergency management officials tweeted that they were closely monitoring the development of the storm.
The Chatham Emergency Management Agency "encourages all County residents to take some time today and tomorrow to prepare your home and your family for hurricane season," according to a Friday news release.
It added that coastal flooding is possible Sunday and Monday.
Tybee Island officials said in a press release the water will be closed to swimmers Sunday and Monday as conditions dictate. Dangerous surf and beach erosion are likely.
"This is a 'Shelter in Place' scenario, no evacuation orders are planned at this time," the release said.
Chatham EMA Director Dennis Jones told an online hurricane preparedness conference on Thursday, "We are in a new and ever-changing time as we face a hurricane season that’s not only predicted to be a busy one, but it’s also occurring in conjunction with a worldwide epidemic, so it creates some unique challenges for us for this year."
Chatham County has no evacuation shelters of its own because the potential for storm surge is so high in the county, according to the Savannah Morning News. If an evacuation is ordered, residents are sent to other counties.
(MORE: In the Era of Coronavirus and Social Distancing, Is It Safe to Go to a Hurricane Shelter?)
"COVID has thrown a monkey wrench into all hurricane planning, not only for us, but for all the partners who are on today," Jones told the conference.
Twice as many buses will be needed to move residents from the assembly point at the Savannah Civic Center to the host communities. Evacuations will have to start earlier, too, Jones said. And more host communities will have to be recruited because their shelters will have limited capacity due to social distancing rules.
"So if we are planning for 2,500, and we normally send those 2,500 to one community, now that community can only take 500 or 70, or 750," Jones said. "So we have to find other communities in which to send our population."
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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