Florida ports shutting down as Hurricane Isaias approaches (with forecast video)

Hurricane Isaias is barreling through the Bahamas this morning, August 1, and will come close to landfall on Florida’s east coast tomorrow.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a condition ZULU at the Port of Miami and the northern port of Key West. This means no vessels may enter or move within these ports without permission from the captain of the port (COTP). Also, all ship-to-shore operations must stop until further notice.

As of 8 a.m. EDT today, Isaias was centered about 50 miles south of Nassau in the Bahamas. Maximum sustained winds around the eye wall were measured by Hurricane Hunters ato be 85 mph, making Isaias a Category 1 storm. Isaias will likely maintain this intensity as it closes in on Florida.

Hurricane force winds (minimum 74 mph) extend as far as 35 miles from the eye, while tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph) have been recorded about 175 miles from the eye.

Tropical storm conditions are likely by this afternoon or evening in the Lake Okeechobee area, as well as from just north of Ocean Reef to just south of Boca Raton, with hurricane conditions likely tonight and Sunday from Boca Raton to the Volusia/Flagler county line.

More details are available in the attached video. Look for more updates later on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.

Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.