Hurricane Isaias live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on July 31
We’re keeping track of the latest news regarding Hurricane Isaias in South Florida and around the state and Caribbean. Check back for updates throughout the day.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the list of things to do as we track an approaching storm’s path. To help, we’ve compiled checklists by topic. Find it here.
Passport Office closed, outdoor dining suspended in Coral Gables
7:30 p.m.: Coral Gables — which was under tropical storm warning Friday evening — will be closing its passport office by the end of the day. The city also urged food establishments to take down outdoor seating arrangements, although restaurants can remain open for takeout and delivery.
Everglades National Park closes, Dry Tortugas remains open
6:20 p.m.: Everglades National Park will temporarily close all entrances and visitor centers at 7 p.m. on Friday for safety reasons as Hurricane Isaias is expected to brush Florida’s East coast this weekend, triggering a hurricane watch from north Broward through Brevard County.
Park concession-operated boat tours, services and rentals will also suspend operations on Friday afternoon, the National Park Service said in a statement Friday.
Dry Tortugas National Park remains open, with ferry and seaplane tours still operating on Friday.
Read the story here.
Hollywood shuttle service suspended
6:10 p.m.: The Sun Shuttle, an electric public transportation service that runs from downtown Hollywood, to Hollywood Beach and along Federal Highway, will be suspended Saturday and Sunday as Hurricane Isaias approaches.
Hollywood was under hurricane watch Friday evening, which means hurricane-force-winds are possible within the next 24 to 36 hours.
The city said there will be no garbage, recycling or commingled pick up on Saturday. Youth sports and aquatic activities will be temporarily suspended, and parks — including dog parks — will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Hurricane Isaias could bring deadly rip currents
6 p.m.: With Hurricane Isaias soon to make landfall in the U.S., the impending consequences of its strong winds are setting off alarms in many states along the east coast.
Warnings include high rip current risks through the weekend and into next week for some regions, meteorologists say. Although these channeled currents are present every day in many beaches, under certain wave and tide conditions they can become dangerous and even deadly.
Read the story here.
Hurricane shifts closer to Florida as it crosses Bahamas
5:30 p.m.: Hurricane Isaias’ potential path has once again shifted west, upping the chances of a landfall along the southeast coast of Florida — possibly as a tropical storm — on Sunday.
The 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center showed a storm that is slowing down and getting better organized, despite a struggle against higher wind shear, as it passed through the warm waters of the central Bahamas.
The latest projection showed Hurricane Isaias scraping along the coast near Riviera Beach Sunday at 2 a.m. with 80 mph winds, triggering a round of upgraded hurricane warnings for Florida’s coast.
Boca Raton to Brevard County is now under a hurricane warning, which means hurricane-force-winds are expected in the next 36 hours.
Read the story here.
Pembroke Pines shuts down parks, golf course
5:20 p.m.: Pembroke Lakes Golf Course and Tennis Center, along with Club 19 Restaurant, will be closed to the public Saturday. City parks will also shut down for the day, the city announced Friday.
Drive-through food distributions canceled
5:15 p.m.: Feeding South Florida canceled Saturday’s drive-through food distributions as possible tropical storm-force winds approach. Locations impacted include 2100 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach.
Broward shuts down parks, stocks shelters
5:00 p.m.: Broward Mayor Dale Holness said Friday afternoon that the county has geared up its emergency response as Hurricane Isais heads toward Florida’s coast.
“We will get through this storm as we always do,” he said.
During a news conference, the mayor said county parks will be closed Saturday and reopen at noon Sunday. Port Everglades was shut down Friday and the bridges would be locked down as well.
While the brunt of Isais is not expected to hit Miami-Dade and Broward, Holness said the county has 34 shelters stocked and ready to go if anything changes. He added that the shelters will stick to COVID-19 guidelines.
Sheriff Gregory Tony also urged residents to make final preparations Friday.
“Do not dismiss this as just another hurricane because this variable, covid 19 crisis, is going to impact how we traditionally respond and handle hurricanes,” Tony said.
Tri Rail suspending service Saturday
4:50 p.m.: South Florida Regional Transportation Authority announced that Tri Rail will begin securing crossing gates Friday night and halt operations Saturday due to potential weather conditions.
Service on the last northbound train this evening, P534, will terminate in Fort Lauderdale Station. Passengers will be transported to their final destinations by bus, SFRTA announced.
Pools, state parks closing
4:15 p.m.: Miami announced it will close pools, as well as beaches and parks, citywide at 5 p.m. Friday.
All facilities operated by the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department will also close by 8 p.m. today. Many homeowners’ associations have also shut their pool areas down on Friday so as to secure chairs and other items.
Read the story here.
State parks and North Miami campground also shutting down and won’t be open on Saturday. These include Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale.
Oleta River State Park in North Miami will shut down overnight campgrounds and cabins, as well as close for the day.
Palmetto Bay distributing sand
3:15 p.m.: Palmetto Bay, in South Miami-Dade, will distribute sand from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. to residents at Coral Reef Park, 7895 SW 152nd St. Bring your own bags if you can as supplies are limited.
Broward County residential drop-off centers closing
3:30 p.m.: These sites for the disposal of household hazardous waste, and electronics recycling will be closed on Saturday, Aug. 1 due to the current tropical storm warning, Broward County announced. Centers will remain closed until further notice.
Locations include: North Residential Drop-Off Center at 2780 N Powerline Rd., Pompano Beach; Central Residential at 5490 Reese Rd., Davie; and South Residential at 5601 W Hallandale Beach Blvd., West Park.
For the disposal of household hazardous waste and electronics the centers are only open to residents from these cities: Broward Municipal Services District, Dania Beach, Hollywood, Lauderhill, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Oakland Park, Pembroke Park, Sea Ranch Lakes, West Park and Weston.
Due to COVID-19, residential Drop-Off Centers for bulk and yard Waste disposal for participating cities, will remain closed until further notice.
Visitor Center in Homestead closing
3:10 p.m.: Biscayne National Park is closing the Dante Fascell Visitor Center and administrative facilities at 5 p.m. today in preparation for the storm. Boating in park waters remains open, but the park urges visitors to monitor weather conditions and follow marine advisories.
The National Weather Service in Miami warns of rough seas and strong rip tides so boating is not advised.
Universities monitor the storm, NSU shuts down
3 p.m.: Nova Southeastern University announced it will shut down campuses in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties at 5 p.m. Friday. The university expects normal operations to resume on Monday.
Barry University in Miami Shores and the University of Miami in Coral Gables remain operational, but are closely monitoring the storm. If the storm becomes a threat, UM said it will work to protect exterior areas on campus tomorrow.
Hurricane shelters on standby
1:15 p.m.: Twenty evacuation shelters are on standby, but remain closed, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced in a press conference on Friday morning. If the shelters open to the public, Gimenez said they will be set up with COVID-19 preventive measures, as planned.
If shelters open, masks and hand sanitizer will be available on site.
Miami-Dade County has also made arrangements with the public schools system to offer isolated shelter for COVID-19-positive individuals in public school classrooms.
Transit and travel
Transit hours remain unchanged since forecasts didn’t call for sustained tropical-force winds.
Because forecasters have not predicted sustained winds of 55 miles per hour, at which point planes cannot take off or land, Miami International Airport remains operational for passenger and cargo flights.
Ports starting bridge lockdown protocol
The U.S. Coast Guard closed Miami River, Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port of Fort Pierce and all remaining terminals and facilities within Sector Miami’s area of responsibility to inbound vessel traffic on Friday morning.
Vessels greater than 500 gross tons have to depart ports, berths and anchorages. All vessel operations, as well as moving cargo or passengers onto the port, are prohibited as ports prepare to begin bridge lockdown protocol.
All ports in the Miami area are monitoring the storm closely. If the storm progresses, the Coast Guard anticipates that all waterfront operations will be suspended and drawbridges in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie and Indian River counties will be in full lockdown by 10 p.m. Friday.
Broward County bascule bridges along New River at Southeast Third Avenue, Andrews Avenue, and Southwest Fourth and Seventh Avenues will be closing Friday evening.
Hallandale Beach handed out sandbags
1 p.m.: The city of Hallandale Beach distributed sandbags Friday morning in anticipation of the storm. By noon, all of them were handed out. The city suggested residents opt to get some at a home improvement store and advised against beach runs to gobble up sand.
Governor declares state of emergency
12:30 p.m.: Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all of Florida’s east coast counties from Miami-Dade to Nassau ahead of the approaching Hurricane Isaias.
Hurricane watches issued for Florida coast as Cat 1 Hurricane Isaias crosses Bahamas
11:15 a.m.: A hurricane watch has been issued for north Broward through Brevard County as Hurricane Isaias pummels the southern Bahamas as a Category 1 storm.
According to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. update, Isaias is about 295 miles southeast of Nassau and maintaining Category 1 status with 75 mph winds, a slight weakening from earlier Friday morning.
The tropical storm watch for southeast Florida from Ocean Reef north to the Sebastian Inlet and Lake Okeechobee was upgraded to a warning, and a hurricane watch was issued from north of Deerfield Beach to the Volusia-Brevard County Line.
Read the story here.
Some garbage and recycling pickup canceled
11 a.m.: Due to the possibility of tropical storm force winds on Saturday, some garbage and recycling pickup has been canceled on Saturday. If that is your day for pickup, for example in Hollywood, instead secure your garbage cans and solid/commingled and recyclable materials in a safe, sheltered location.
When will South Florida see nasty weather from Hurricane Isaias?
10:50 a.m.: With Hurricane Isaias expected to strengthen to a Category 2 as it crosses over the Bahamas Friday and Saturday with winds that could reach 100 mph, the National Hurricane Center predicted South Florida could still see several inches of rain and tropical-storm-force winds Saturday and Sunday.
Read the story here.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 11:24 AM.
