Tropical Storm Isaias Forecast to Make US Landfall as Dangerous Hurricane
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declares a state of emergency as the storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane.
Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast. As of Wednesday morning, the storm was located about 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico.
Forecast models indicate Isaias will approach the U.S. coast by Friday, with landfall expected late Friday or early Saturday. The storm is projected to strike between Biloxi, Mississippi, and Panama City, Florida. In anticipation of the storm, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency.
"Floridians should take this time to get disaster plans in place and ensure their hurricane supply kit is stocked," DeSantis said in a statement.
According to AccuWeather Hurricane Experts, Isaias is expected to become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. This would mark the latest formation of the first Atlantic hurricane in over a century. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) anticipates issuing Hurricane Watches for a portion of the U.S. northern Gulf Coast later on Wednesday.
The storm is predicted to reach Category 1 strength by Thursday evening and strengthen to Category 2 before making landfall. Afterward, Isaias is expected to move north through Mississippi and into Tennessee over the weekend, weakening into a low-pressure system by Saturday evening.
From Friday through the weekend, the NHC forecasts three to six inches of rain along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast, extending from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, with isolated areas possibly receiving up to 10 inches. The most severe wind damage and coastal flooding from storm surge are anticipated near and to the east of the storm's landfall point. AccuWeather forecasts gusts of 100 to 120 mph in these areas if the storm reaches hurricane strength before landfall. Tropical storm-force winds of 40 to 60 mph could affect a wider region across the Southeast and into Tennessee.
An additional hazard from Isaias will be the risk of severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes and waterspouts, particularly near and east of the storm's center. This severe weather risk could extend for hundreds of miles to the east throughout the weekend, according to AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
The NHC noted that while some weakening is possible as the storm approaches the Gulf Coast due to increased wind shear, it is still expected to be a dangerous hurricane at landfall.