Isaias strengthens fast on Gulf, evacuations ordered as hurricane watches go up

Tropical Storm Isaias spent Wednesday getting stronger fast, and the Gulf Coast is now bracing for a hurricane. Wind speeds jumped 25 mph between the 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern updates from the National Hurricane Center, reaching 65 mph, and forecasters expect Isaias to become the Atlantic season's first hurricane by Thursday morning.

The 11 a.m. advisory put the storm about 700 miles southwest of Pensacola, moving slightly north of east at 8 mph. The intensity forecast calls for Isaias to reach Category 2 strength late Thursday and peak near major hurricane force early Friday, then weaken somewhat as it nears shore while remaining a hurricane at landfall. The most likely landfall zone runs from coastal Mississippi to the western Florida Panhandle, centered near Pensacola, late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Each update Wednesday nudged the track a little farther east.

The watches went up Wednesday morning. A Hurricane Watch now runs from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida. A Storm Surge Watch stretches from the mouth of the Mississippi River eastward to Yankeetown, Florida. Tropical Storm Watches cover the coast from the Louisiana parish line near New Orleans to Bay St. Louis and from east of Indian Pass to Florida's Aucilla River.

Okaloosa County ordered evacuations Wednesday afternoon and declared a local emergency at 5 p.m., closing public schools Thursday and Friday. In Pensacola, now sitting near the center of the forecast cone, peak winds are forecast at 70 to 90 mph with gusts to 115, storm surge of 4 to 7 feet above ground in surge prone areas, 4 to 8 inches of rain with locally higher amounts, and a tornado threat rated somewhat favorable. Bay County faces 4 to 6 inches of rain after a wet week, peak surge of 5 to 7 feet, and the possibility of long duration power outages from hurricane force winds.

The disruptions are already spreading. Florida State canceled its Pensacola baseball game against Auburn and its men's basketball exhibition against Mississippi State scheduled for Saturday. Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties on Tuesday, staging sandbags, generators, fuel, flood barriers, water, meals and tarps in Tallahassee and Santa Rosa County. President Trump said Wednesday his attendance at Saturday's Alabama Georgia football game depends on the storm: if there is an emergency he does not want to pull focus from it.

Isaias would be the first hurricane to make landfall in the continental United States since Milton struck Florida in 2024.