Isaias becomes the Atlantic season's first hurricane as the Gulf Coast prepares for a Friday landfall

Isaias has become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, and forecasters expect it to reach the northern Gulf Coast as soon as Friday evening.

As of early Thursday, Isaias had maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph and was centered roughly 460 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to a National Hurricane Center advisory cited by the Associated Press.

## Where it is headed

Forecasters warned of damaging hurricane-force winds for the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi, along with a life-threatening storm surge along the northern Gulf Coast, the AP reported.

AccuWeather forecasts landfall late Friday night or early Saturday, most likely somewhere between southeastern Louisiana and the western Florida Panhandle, as a Category 2 hurricane. It says the strongest effects are expected from Alabama into Florida.

A hurricane warning covers the coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida, according to AccuWeather. A storm surge warning stretches from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Steinhatchee River in Florida.

## Rain, surge and outages

The AP reported that 3 to 7 inches of rain is expected across the central Gulf Coast. AccuWeather's forecast calls for a storm surge of 6 to 10 feet along Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.

The National Weather Service told communities from Ocean Springs to Gulf County, Florida, to prepare for "long-duration power outages," according to the AP.

AccuWeather says the storm is expected to move inland toward the Ohio Valley late this weekend, then cross the Appalachians and reach the mid-Atlantic early next week as a rainstorm.

## Emergencies and evacuations

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 counties, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared one for 25 counties in the Panhandle and Big Bend, the AP reported.

Okaloosa County, Florida, ordered mandatory evacuations for some coastal areas. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, urged people in low-lying areas to leave voluntarily, and at least four Florida school districts canceled classes later in the week, according to the AP. Gulf Shores also canceled its National Shrimp Festival.

"This is really about preparation," Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said, according to the AP.

## Oil and the big game

Producers had halted about 25% of Gulf oil production as of Wednesday, roughly 511,000 barrels a day, the AP reported. An S&P Global Energy analyst called the oil market risk "moderate, but rising," saying the bigger concern would be a strong storm hitting near refineries.

The storm could also disrupt Saturday's Georgia-Alabama college football game in Tuscaloosa as it moves inland. President Donald Trump has planned to attend, according to the AP. As of Wednesday, Alabama athletics said there were "no plans to alter the contest," Yahoo Sports reported.

## What it means for you

If you live, work or go to school between southeastern Louisiana and the Florida Big Bend, Thursday and Friday are the time to finish preparing. Check whether your address is in an evacuation zone on your county's emergency management site, sign up for campus or school alerts, charge phones and power banks, and plan for days without power.

If you are traveling to the region this weekend, including for the Georgia-Alabama game, watch for schedule changes from schools, airlines and event organizers, and expect heavy rain and strong winds well inland.

## What happens next

The National Hurricane Center issues full advisories every six hours. Forecasts for strength and landfall location can shift, so warnings may expand or change before Friday. Local officials will announce any new evacuation orders.