Our live coverage has moved
Get the latest updates on Hurricane Isaias here.
Winds and rain beat across Okaloosa Island and Fort Walton Beach in the Florida Panhandle as Hurricane Isaias moved closer to landfall Friday evening.
Heavy winds ripped off a hotel roof as Hurricane Isaias drew closer to landfall near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on Friday evening.
Conditions in Gulf Shores, Alabama, are deteriorating by the hour as Hurricane Isaias approaches. The outer bands are bringing strong, tropical storm-force winds. CNN’s Isabel Rosales reports.
Gulf Coast evacuations expanded for Hurricane Isaias on Friday afternoon as the storm readied for landfall. Up to 9 feet of storm surge and 15 inches of rain are possible in some
Isaias rapidly intensified over the Gulf, strengthening to a major hurricane despite wind shear caused by El Niño. The event could add another chapter to the strange history of I-named storms in the Atlantic.
Hurricane Isaias is forcing changes ahead of the college football showdown between the University of Georgia and the Alabama Crimson Tide. CNN’s Andy Scholes breaks down what fans can expect.
From late Friday afternoon through midnight, Isaias’ dangerous conditions will begin to affect the Gulf Coast as the large storm churns northward.
Hurricane Isaias is expected to strengthen significantly over Thursday and Friday. Even if it weakens slightly before landfall, the storm will remain dangerous along the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Isaias is due to make landfall late Friday night into Saturday as a strong Category two storm. A state of emergency has been declared across Florida and Alabama.
Meteorologist Ali Van Fleet explains how a weakening hurricane can still grow in size and threaten a broader region with rain, storm surge and even tornadoes.
All hurricanes are dangerous, but their impacts aren't always created equal. Meteorologist Chris Warren explains how storm size and storm strength influence the impacts communities experience before, during and after landfall.
To help people prepare for hurricanes, scientists studied 40 tropical cyclones and found storm surge hits in eight ways.
Key developments
• Record-shattering Isaias is strengthening into a high-end Category 2 hurricane en route to landfall on the northern Gulf Coast by this weekend. The storm rapidly intensified into the Atlantic season’s first hurricane Wednesday night.
• Isaias is expected to strengthen further and briefly become a “major hurricane” early Friday before weakening some and making landfall late Friday night. Locations on the coast could see up to 7 feet of storm surge and up to 15 inches of rain, with short-lived tornadoes popping up with little notice.
• States of emergency have been issued in parts of Alabama, Florida and Georgia, and mandatory evacuation orders have been issued in some areas.
• Some Florida airports are scheduled to close ahead of the storm. Amtrak services in parts of Louisiana and Alabama are also disrupted.
Isaias holds at Category 2 as hurricane hunters probe the storm
Isaias’ sustained winds remain at 105 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 2 a.m. ET update. NOAA and Air Force hurricane hunters are flying inside the storm, now about 230 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Isaias could briefly become a Category 3 hurricane Friday before weakening somewhat and making landfall late at night. Even as Isaias is expected to lose some strength before landfall, it will still bring dangerous storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rain.
Gulf Coast residents rush to prepare as Hurricane Isaias approaches
Residents across coastal Alabama and Florida spent Thursday boarding up homes, filling sandbags and stocking up on supplies as Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm and barreled toward the Gulf Coast.
AP video from Lillian, Alabama, showed residents covering windows with plywood and loading supplies as they prepare to ride out the storm. “Everybody’s getting fuel. Everybody’s buying water. Everybody’s scurrying around like ants,” resident Richard Weekley said.
Reuters video from Gulf Breeze, Florida, showed residents filling and loading sandbags as they prepare for possible flooding from Hurricane Isaias.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that saturated ground and heavy rainfall could cause dangerous inland flooding, urging residents to take the threat seriously.
Forecasters said Isaias is expected to make landfall late Friday, with life-threatening storm surge, flooding rain and possible tornadoes forecast across parts of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
An eye begins to emerge as lightning flashes within Isaias
An eye is beginning to take shape as lightning flashes within Isaias’ thunderstorms over the Gulf.
The emerging eye points to a better-organized hurricane, while the lightning near the center of the storm signals vigorous thunderstorm activity in the eyewall as Isaias strengthens tonight.
This remarkable sunset over Atlanta is linked to Hurricane Isaias. Here's why
A remarkable sunset unfolded over Atlanta on Thursday. CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam explains how distant Hurricane Isaias in the Gulf created the spectacle.
Isaias strengthens, now forecast to become a major hurricane
Isaias’ sustained winds have increased to 105 mph, and the National Hurricane Center now forecasts it will briefly become a major hurricane early Friday. “Major” refers to a Category 3 or stronger storm, with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
Isaias should weaken some before landfall, likely coming ashore near the threshold between Category 1 and 2 late Friday night. However, its wind field is expected to expand, spreading dangerous impacts well beyond its center.
Why "I" storms have such a notorious reputation
Isaias is in infamous company as an “I” named storm.
The list of names runs alphabetically, so “I” goes to the ninth named storm — which usually forms around the peak of Atlantic hurricane season in mid-September, when conditions are primed to fuel powerful storms. And since 1953, Atlantic storms with “I” names reach Category 3 strength or higher more frequently than any other letter.
Ivan in 2004, Irma in 2017, Ida in 2021 and most recently Ian in 2022 each reached at least Category 4 strength and went on to make landfall in the United States. Ian struck southwestern Florida with 150 mph winds, resulted in 150 deaths and caused over $112 billion in damage, becoming the costliest hurricane in the state’s history.
Storms that are especially deadly or damaging have their name retired from the official list. Thirteen names starting with I have been retired, more than any other letter.
Isaias formed on October 6, weeks later than usual for an “I” storm, thanks to this year’s super El Niño putting a damper on storms in the Atlantic. It’s currently forecast to make landfall on the Gulf Coast as a Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane.
Deep, warm Gulf waters could fuel Isaias tonight
Isaias is expected to strengthen overnight as it passes near a warm eddy, a rotating pocket of ocean water where warmth extends well below the surface. That deep reservoir of heat, marked by the darker reds in the image below, provides ample fuel for the hurricane.
Increasing wind shear is expected to weaken Isaias as it approaches the coast, but it is still forecast to make landfall as a dangerous hurricane.
Hurricane hunter who flew through eye of the storm details experience
Winds in Hurricane Isaias reached around 100 mph today, according to Captain Mark McCoy, an Air Force Reserve Weather officer who flew through the storm.
He told CNN’s Erin Burnett that his team experienced “a lot of dry air” that “was being sucked in on the south side and southwest side.”
“It was slowly gaining strength as we were in there,” McCoy said.
The journey, which he said was a “pretty standard mission,” lasted around 9.5 hours and included flying through the eye of the storm.
Hurricane Isaias maintains Category 2 strength
Isaias is still a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph sustained winds as of the 7 p.m. CT update from the National Hurricane Center.
After intensifying earlier today, the storm’s strength has leveled off … for now. Further strengthening is expected through early Friday.
Hurricane Isaias is beginning to pick up speed, traveling at a 13 mph pace which is up from 9 mph reported about 12 hours ago. The hurricane is located just under 300 miles south of Louisiana.
It’s forecast to turn north tomorrow and approach the Gulf Coast later that night.
As far as Charleston, SC, officials worry of Isaias flood risks
Before Hurricane Isaias makes landfall along the Gulf Coast, officials as far as Charleston, South Carolina, are already preparing for lingering effects from the hurricane.
On Thursday, Charleston Mayor William S. Cogswell Jr. activated the city’s active flood mitigation plan, anticipating heavy rain and as a king tide cycle brings risk of flooding over the weekend to the coastal city on the Atlantic.
The most intense rain affecting Charleston is expected on Saturday afternoon into the evening, with city officials expecting 3 to 4 inches of rain, though it could be higher in some areas, a city news release said. Tides in Charleston’s harbor are expected to peak near 7.7 feet Saturday morning and remain high into the evening.
Here's what you should know ahead of Hurricane Isaias' weekend landfall
The record-breaking Hurricane Isaias is getting stronger as it heads north to the Gulf Coast. The strong and rapidly-intensifying storm is expected to make landfall this weekend as the the season’s first Atlantic hurricane.
Here’s what you should know:
- What to expect: Isaias could near Category 3 strength, but will weaken some before making landfall as a hurricane by early Saturday morning. It will pick up speed as it moves north, and is expected to strike the coastline head-on.
- Evacuations and closures: Officials have asked those within the storm’s forecasted path to evacuate and many residents have begun preparing days in advance, flocking to grocery stores and gas stations to stock up for the storm. Some energy companies including Chevron and Shell are shutting down production at some offshore facilities and evacuating workers. Schools in the region have also announced closures ahead of Isaias’ landfall, some Florida airports have preemptively closed, and all trains along the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service line, which runs between New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama, are canceled through Sunday. Parts of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama are under states of emergency.
- Forecasted threats: Isaias is forecast to bring flooding, dangerous storm surge and even some tornadoes to the Gulf Coast in the coming days. It’s expected to grow larger as it nears the coast, so wet and windy conditions are likely across a wide area of the Southeast through Saturday. Isaias could also knock out power and down trees where it makes landfall along the coast, but outages could extend further inland into parts of the Southeast.
Check out what to expect by city here.
CNN’s Briana Waxman, Maria Aguilar Prieto, Mary Gilbert, Chris Dolce, Sara Smart, Rebekah Riess, Brandon Miller, Taylor Ward and Kate S. Petersen contributed reporting.
Federal agencies prepare to support state and local response
Federal agencies are preparing to help state and local affected by Hurricane Isaias, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and DHS are both “closely monitoring” the storm and are “ready to support state response efforts,” Mullin said on social media.
FEMA has already started pre-staging resources to help communities and activated its Response Coordination Centers, it said.
“Take the storm seriously and follow instructions from local officials,” FEMA said.
Florida mayor explains what a mandatory evacuation order means in his town
People living in several Florida and Alabama counties are under mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Isaias.
It doesn’t mean that officials are going door to door forcing people to leave, said Mayor Bobby Wagner of Destin, Florida.
But it does mean first responders will not enter those areas if it is not safe during the storm.
More evacuations ordered in Florida
Mandatory evacuations were issued for areas of Walton, Escambia and Franklin counties as of noon Thursday.
In Franklin County, St. George Island, Dog Island, Aligator Point and Bald Point are under mandatory evacuation. Those in mobile homes, homes near the water and anyone in low-lying areas should also evacuate, the county said.
Okaloosa County also ordered mandatory evacuations for certain areas, CNN previously reported.
An voluntary evacuation order was also issued for parts of Santa Rosa County, effective 12:30 p.m. Thursday for zones near the water, according to the county’s emergency management agency.
Some areas of Bay County and Wakulla County are also under voluntary evacuation.
First eye of the Atlantic hurricane season appears (on satellite imagery)
Isaias’ eye became visible on satellite imagery Thursday afternoon, the first of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This long of a wait for a first hurricane is unprecedented in the satellite era. Isaias reached hurricane strength late Wednesday, nearly a month later than any other storm since 1966.
But 1966 isn’t actually the last time this record was set, it’s just as far back as we have satellite records. Records from before satellites are considered less reliable because storms were tracked primarily through naval reports, so hurricanes far out at sea with no ships nearby would go unrecorded.
Isaias tied a 1905 storm for the latest date of a season’s first hurricane in less complete records dating back to 1851.
Coastal tourists and visitors under evacuation orders, Alabama governor says
Governor Kay Ivey has issued mandatory evacuations for tourists and visitors along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
The evacuation order, effective at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, affects all non-residents, tourists and visitors south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Baldwin County, which includes the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, as well as a parts of southern Mobile County encompassing all of Dauphin Island and parts of Bayou La Batre.
The order came at the request of local officials, according to the governor’s office. The town of Dauphin Island announced Thursday an evacuation notice for the western part of the island.
On Wednesday, Ivey issued a state of emergency for 40 Alabama counties ahead of Isaias making landfall. She has also directed state offices in nine southern Alabama counties to close early beginning at noon on Friday.
Isaias strengthens to a Category 2
Hurricane hunters found 100 mph winds within Hurricane Isaias, making the storm a Category 2, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 4 p.m. CT update.
The agency noted “additional strengthening is expected” through early Friday. The official forecast calls for Isaias to peak with winds of 110 mph before slightly weakening as it approaches the Gulf Coast.
Hurricane Isaias has started to move quicker and make its turn north towards the coast. Isaias is about 325 miles south of Louisiana, moving northeast at 12 mph, according to the hurricane center.
"It’s like a renegade spirit.” Famous Flora-Bama bar says it's ready for Isaias
Staff at the Flora-Bama bar in Perdido Key, Florida, spent Thursday boarding up windows and preparing to close ahead of Hurricane Isaias.
Jennifer Parnell, the marketing manager, said the famous bar near the Florida-Alabama state line has been part of the community for more than 60 years and has survived many storms. She said being prepared is key.
