Isaias strengthens into a dangerous Category 3 hurricane on track toward the U.S. Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias has strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane, marking the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. The storm is projected to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday morning, bringing life-threatening hazards including a potential 9-foot storm surge, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes. A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida, with mandatory evacuations issued in several coastal counties.

Hurricane Isaias has strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane, marking the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. The storm is projected to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday morning, bringing life-threatening hazards including a potential 9-foot storm surge, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes. A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida, with mandatory evacuations issued in several coastal counties.