VIRGINIA — A tropical storm watch has been issued for the east coast of Florida as Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to become a hurricane on Friday or Friday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm not only threatens portions of the Sunshine State starting this weekend but also the U.S. East Coast, including Virginia.

"Isaias is moving toward the northwest near 20 mph ... and a northwestward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days," the National Hurricane Center said at 8 p.m. Thursday. "On the forecast track, the center of Isaias will move near the Southeastern Bahamas by late tonight."

The forecast cone showed the hard-to-pronounce Isaias (listen to a meteorologist pronounce "ees-ah-EE-ahs") approaching the southern tip of Florida late Saturday and moving over the eastern part of the state before crossing into Georgia on Sunday night into Monday morning.

Isaias is the earliest ninth named storm on record, and 2020 has tied the record for most July storms. It overtook the record for the earliest "I" storm, held by Irene, which was named on Aug. 7, 2005.

"There is a risk of impacts from winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge this weekend along the Florida east coast and spreading northward along the remainder of the U.S. East Coast through early next week," the National Hurricane Center said Thursday.

The storm was expected to be near the southeastern Bahamas by late Thursday night.

"Isaias is forecast to be near the Central Bahamas Friday night and move near or over the Northwestern Bahamas and near South Florida on Saturday," the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm was located about 45 miles west-northwest of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and about 155 miles east-southeast of Great Imagua Island with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph as of 8 p.m. Thursday. It was moving toward the northwest at 20 mph.

Isaias was expected to bring 3 to 6 inches of rain to Puerto Rico and northern Haiti with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches. It was also expected to bring 4 to 8 inches of rain to the Dominican Republic with isolated totals of 6 inches.

Patch editor Paul Scicchitano assisted in the reporting of this story.