Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to rapidly strengthen into a dangerous Category 2 hurricane that will threaten the U.S. Gulf Coast, including part of the Florida Panhandle.<\/p>\n
Isaias is forecast to remain a \u201cdangerous hurricane when it makes landfall,\u201d presumably this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cHurricane watches will likely be required for a portion of the U.S. northern Gulf coast later today,\u201d the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 a.m. Wednesday advisory.<\/p>\n
Isaias \u201cwill become the first hurricane of the 2026 season, the latest first hurricane to form in the Atlantic basin in over 100 years,\u201d according to AccuWeather.<\/p>\n
The hurricane center\u2019s forecast has the storm\u2019s maximum winds peaking at 110 mph by 5 a.m. Friday, which would make it nearly a Category 3 hurricane, before moving inland by late Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Isaias developed early Wednesday and was located 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico, and 580 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the hurricane center\u2019s 5 a.m. advisory. Its maximum sustained winds were at 40 mph as it moved east-northeast at 8 mph.<\/p>\n
Isaias is expected to track<\/a> east-northeast for the next few days before making a turn to the northeast on Friday, according to forecasters. It likely will pass to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday and approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast on Friday.<\/p>\n