‘Isaias’ eases

MIAMI, Florida (AFP) — “Isaias” roared closer to the Florida coast Sunday, threatening to bring strong winds, flash flooding and storm surges but no longer expected to regain hurricane strength.

The tropical storm was packing sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour Sunday evening as it moved northwest off the state’s east coast, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Florida’s coast was experiencing heavy wind gusts. The NHC said “some fluctuations in strength” are possible in the next two days, but “Isaias” is not expected to regain its hurricane status.

At 8:00 p.m., the storm was 90 kilometers from America’s Cape Canaveral space center, moving northwest at nine miles per hour, the Miami-based NHC said.

It said the center of “Isaias” was expected to move “near or over the east coast of Florida today through late tonight” before moving on Monday and Tuesday into the Atlantic.