Hurricane Isaias was moving toward the Gulf Coast on Friday, packing a “life-threatening” Category 3 strength. Forecasters warned that powerful winds, flooding, and even potential tornadoes could be on the way.
This record-setting storm was predicted to make landfall near the Florida Panhandle either late Friday or early Saturday, with winds reaching dangerous speeds of up to 120 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Experts warned that the storm could generate a storm surge of up to nine feet and could drop as much as 15 inches of rain, prompting “states of emergency” to be declared in parts of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
On Friday afternoon, Isaias was recorded at 121 mph, situated about 150 miles south of Pensacola. Residents were urged to prepare for severe weather, even if they were not directly in the hurricane’s path.
The National Weather Service emphasized that impacts like damaging winds, heavy rain, tornadoes, and storm surges would affect areas outside of the hurricane forecast cone, which is something to keep in mind.
As the storm approached, many residents along the Gulf Coast hurried to shutter their buildings and secure hurricane preparations.
Isaias was anticipated to make landfall somewhere between Mobile Bay along Alabama’s coast and Destin in the Florida Panhandle, later tracking north toward Atlanta, Georgia, where up to eight inches of rain could fall, according to forecasters.
Once it makes landfall, the hurricane is expected to weaken, likely being downgraded to a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon, as reported by the National Hurricane Center.
Several counties instituted mandatory evacuations, while both Florida and Alabama declared states of emergency across many counties.
Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, advised residents to be prepared for power outages, flooding, and even gas shortages, stressing the urgency of being ready. “When the water’s rising and things are happening, it’s a very, very difficult situation, and you don’t want to get caught in that,” he said.
Notably, Isaias represents the first hurricane to form this late in the Atlantic storm season’s history, according to meteorologists.
