Hurricane Isaias takes aim at Florida Panhandle, now Category 3 storm

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 storm on Friday morning as it approached the U.S. Gulf Coast, with landfall expected between Friday evening and early Saturday. The storm, featuring maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, is forecast to impact the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and evacuation orders are in effect for several low-lying coastal counties. Meteorologists noted that Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, marking a historically late start to hurricane activity.

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 storm on Friday morning as it approached the U.S. Gulf Coast, with landfall expected between Friday evening and early Saturday. The storm, featuring maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, is forecast to impact the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and evacuation orders are in effect for several low-lying coastal counties. Meteorologists noted that Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, marking a historically late start to hurricane activity.