Tropical Storm Isaias has become Hurricane Isaias — the first hurricane of the Atlantic season — after strengthening overnight in the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said early Thursday.
The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and sitting roughly 460 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving east-northeast at about 9 mph. Forecasters expect it to intensify further, possibly reaching about 110 mph — near Category 2 strength — within a day.
Landfall is expected Friday night along the Florida–Alabama stretch of the Gulf Coast. High wind shear and dry air should weaken the storm as it comes ashore, but officials are not taking chances: some coastal evacuations are already underway and a tropical storm warning is posted for Florida's Gulf coast.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are the big early threats, with several inches of rain possible well inland. The development marks a sharp escalation from Wednesday, when Isaias was still a tropical storm prompting emergency declarations across two dozen Florida counties.
