Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Gulf early Wednesday and is forecast to rapidly strengthen over the next couple of days, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Isaias (pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs) is expected to become a hurricane by Thursday. Currently, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center.
As of 5 a.m., Isaias was about 580 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It was moving east-northeast at near 8 mph, and the minimum central pressure was 1004 mb.
A continued east-northeastward motion is expected Wednesday, followed by a turn toward the northeast and north on Thursday and Friday.
On the forecast track, Isaias is expected to pass to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday and approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast on Friday, bringing the possibility of dangerous winds and storm surge.
Residents from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle should monitor forecast updates and make sure their hurricane plans are in place.
Hurricane and storm surge watches could be issued for part of the northern Gulf Coast later Wednesday.
From Friday through the weekend, Isaias is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with localized totals up to 10 inches, across the northern U.S. Gulf Coast extending from far southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.
Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches, with localized amounts up to 5 inches, are possible across much of the Southeast as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas.
Flash and urban flooding, along with isolated river flooding, will be possible.
In Mexico, Isaias is expected to strengthen and could bring gusty winds and heavy rain to the western Yucatan Peninsula over the next day or two.
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