TALLAHASEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis is providing an update Thursday on Florida’s preparations for Hurricane Isaias as the storm strengthens over the Gulf.
DeSantis is joined at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee by Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Jared Perdue.
The National Hurricane Center said Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph Thursday afternoon and was expected to strengthen further through early Friday. The hurricane is forecast to approach the northern Gulf Coast Friday night, bringing the risk of damaging winds, storm surge, heavy rain and tornadoes.
DeSantis earlier declared a state of emergency in 25 counties across the Panhandle and Big Bend, allowing the state to mobilize resources ahead of the storm. State teams have staged generators, fuel, flood barriers, bottled water, meals, tarps, Tiger Dams and sandbags in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa County area.