Isaias, 5 p.m. Friday: Mid-afternoon Monday hit to the Carolinas projected

ELIZABETHTOWN — Updates throughout the day on Friday, including at 5 p.m. by the National Hurricane Center, continue to keep Bladen County near the passing center of Tropical Storm Isaias.

When it does reach the South Carolina or North Carolina coastline on Monday, forecasters project it to be a Category 1 hurricane.

Isaias cleared the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Friday, and will approach the southern tip of Florida during the day on Saturday. The cone of probability from the Hurricane Center has the eyewall brushing the eastern side of southern Florida about 2 a.m. Sunday, moving back over the ocean and continuing toward a landfall along the northeastern South Carolina coast.

The track runs through eastern North Carolina, between Interstate 95 and the Outer Banks.

The timing for hitting the Carolinas, according to the map, is mid-afternoon Monday. Twenty-four hours later, the storm center is projected to be near the shores of Maryland and New Jersey.

A Catergory 1 hurricane means sustained winds of 74 to 95 mph; well-constructed frame homes could have damage to roofs, shingles, vinyl siding and gutters; large branches of trees will snap and shallow-rooted trees could topple; and power may be lost, with outages that could be for multiple days.

The Cape Fear, South and Black rivers are being watched for significant flooding, as is the Bryant Swamp canal that runs through Bladenboro.

Rainfall potential in the Bladen County area is at or near the 4 to 6 inches range, according to the Hurricane Center.

At Curtis L. Brown Jr. Field, rain has measured about 10 inches in May, between 4 and 5 inches in June, and just over 5 inches in July. The Cape Fear River on Friday at 4 p.m. measured 35.36 feet at Lock and Dam No. 3 near Tar Heel, where flood stage is 42 feet; and 16.72 feet at Lock and Dam No. 1 near East Arcadia, where flood stage is 24 feet. There was no report from Lock and Dam No. 2 at Elizabethtown.

At 5 p.m. Friday the storm was impacting the Bahamas. It was expected to continue into Saturday. A hurricane warning has been issued for the east coast of Florida