Communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast gathered provisions and secured homes on Friday as Hurricane Isaias intensified into a Category 3 storm heading toward the Alabama‑Florida border. The first major hurricane of an unusually quiet Atlantic season, Isaias is expected to make landfall Friday night, bringing dangerous storm surges, destructive winds, heavy flooding and possible tornadoes.
The storm is projected to strike between Mobile Bay in Alabama and Destin in the Florida Panhandle, a stretch known for white‑sand beaches and tourist amenities. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents of impending power outages, gas shortages, flooding and wind damage, urging them not to be caught in rising waters. The National Hurricane Center said time is running out as conditions will deteriorate quickly.
At mid‑morning, the center was located about 240 miles south of Pensacola, moving north‑northeast with 120‑mph winds. A surge of 6 to 9 feet was forecast for some coastal areas. Heavy rain—4 to 8 inches—was expected to fall from southern Alabama to southwestern Georgia over the weekend, with Isaias weakening to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon.
Evacuations have been ordered along the coast. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey directed non‑residents to leave Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Dauphin Island, and several counties issued mandatory evacuations. States of emergency were declared in dozens of counties, and thousands of National Guard soldiers were deployed. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Simon strengthened to Category 2 and is set to make landfall in Mexico this weekend.
