Hurricane Isaias takes aim at Florida Panhandle

Hurricane Isaias, a high-end Category 2 storm, is approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast with landfall expected late Friday or early Saturday. The storm, which is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, is forecast to bring significant rain, storm surges, and potential tornadoes to the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and evacuations have been ordered for several coastal counties as the storm threatens to intensify into a Category 3 major hurricane before reaching land.

Hurricane Isaias, a high-end Category 2 storm, is approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast with landfall expected late Friday or early Saturday. The storm, which is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, is forecast to bring significant rain, storm surges, and potential tornadoes to the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and evacuations have been ordered for several coastal counties as the storm threatens to intensify into a Category 3 major hurricane before reaching land.