The large storm is expected to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday.
Published October 9, 2026
Hurricane Isaias has strengthened into a Category 3 storm as the U.S. Gulf Coast braces for potentially “life-threatening” conditions.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday that Isaias’ winds were in excess of 193 km/h (120 mph) and were expected to strengthen further during the day. Category 3 storms, considered major hurricanes by the NHC, can cause devastating damage.
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Hurricane Isaias, the first of the Atlantic season, is expected to make landfall in the United States late Friday or early Saturday between Mobile Bay, off the coast of Alabama, and Choctawhatchee Bay, Florida, the center said.
Once landfall, the storm is expected to move inland into the southern United States and rapidly weaken. However, the NHC called on local governments to quickly prepare for the dangerous situation that Isaias could pose.
Forecasters said, “The weather is going downhill quickly today, so we need to hurry up and prepare.” “Although the storm is not expected to make landfall at full strength, Isaias could still become a significant hurricane once it reaches the coast.”
Storm surge of up to 2.7 meters (9 feet) could affect areas stretching from the Alabama-Florida border to Grayton Beach, Florida, creating “hazardous” conditions for residents living along the Gulf coastline. In Isaias, rainfall amounts of 10.1 to 20.3 cm (4 to 8 inches) are expected to occur across the coast, with local rainfall totals potentially reaching up to 38 cm (15 inches).
“This is a life-threatening situation,” the center warned. “Persons within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from the possibility of rising waters or other hazardous conditions.”
Some governments in Alabama, Florida and Georgia have declared states of emergency. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for several coastal counties along the Gulf of Mexico.
Ahead of Isaias Island’s landfall, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who asked US President Donald Trump to declare a state of emergency, warned residents in the state’s Panhandle region of the potential for severe storm damage.
“But if you don’t follow evacuation orders, this storm actually puts the lives of many people at risk and is the most damaging of these storms,” DeSantis said. “Storm surge could be seen anywhere from Pensacola to the Big Bend area of North Florida. So please be very careful.”
“And we always say hide from the wind, but you run from the water. When the water is rising and things are going on, it’s a very, very difficult conundrum. And you don’t want to get caught up in that.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Thursday urged Gulf Coast residents to prepare for the hurricane, saying the agency was “fully committed.”
As of early Friday morning, Isaias was about 386 kilometers (240 miles) south of Pensacola, Florida, moving north-northeast at 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour, the NHC said.
