ISAIAS EXPECTED TO DRENCH ENTIRE US EAST COAST

Hurricane Isaias weakened into a strong tropical storm over the Bahamas over the weekend and is expected to be a significant rain-and-wind event for all US Atlantic coast states this week. The storm is expected to strafe Florida and Georgia before making landfall early Tuesday in the Carolinas. Late Sunday, tropical storm watches or warnings were in effect from Florida’s central Atlantic coast up to Rhode Island, except for a stretch of the Carolinas, which was under hurricane watch. Isaias is projected to remain a tropical storm over US coastal states all the way to Maine, where its centre will likely reach on Wednesday. Up to 12 inches of rain is expected in the Bahamas, 3 inches in Florida, 8 inches in the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic states, and 6 inches in northeast states. Storm surge is expected to reach 4 feet in the Carolinas and 3 feet in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland.