Isaias strengthens into Category 2 hurricane on collision course with the Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Thursday, moving north toward the Gulf Coast with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Forecasters predict the storm could briefly reach Category 3 status before making landfall late Friday night or early Saturday, likely between the Mississippi coast and the Florida Panhandle. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and mandatory evacuations have been issued for several coastal and low-lying counties. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening surges, heavy rainfall up to 15 inches, and the potential for isolated tornadoes across the Southeast.

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Thursday, moving north toward the Gulf Coast with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Forecasters predict the storm could briefly reach Category 3 status before making landfall late Friday night or early Saturday, likely between the Mississippi coast and the Florida Panhandle. Governors in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia have declared states of emergency, and mandatory evacuations have been issued for several coastal and low-lying counties. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening surges, heavy rainfall up to 15 inches, and the potential for isolated tornadoes across the Southeast.