Hurricane Isaias
- Category 3
Hurricane Isaias is rapidly affecting areas within the storm surge and hurricane warning zones, urging residents to find safe shelter immediately. As of 4:00 PM CDT, Isaias is located 90 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, moving north at 17 mph. A Category 3 hurricane, Isaias is expected to make landfall along the western Florida Panhandle tonight, subsequently moving across Alabama into the Tennessee Valley over the weekend.
Watches and warnings are in effect: a Storm Surge Warning from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to the Suwannee River, and a Hurricane Warning from Ocean Springs, MS to the Bay/Gulf County Line, FL. A Tropical Storm Warning covers areas from Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish Line, LA to west of Ocean Springs, MS, and east of the Bay/Gulf County Line to Aucilla River, FL.
Isaias' projected impacts include dangerous storm surge, with water levels potentially reaching up to 9 feet above ground in certain areas. Hurricane-force winds could extend up to 100 miles inland, and heavy rainfall totals between 4 to 8 inches are expected, with some areas seeing up to 15 inches, leading to potential flash flooding and landslides. Tornado risks persist across the region. Dangerous surf and rip current conditions are present along much of the Gulf coasts.
As Hurricane Isaias strengthens into a major hurricane, states along the southeastern coast of the United States are taking precautionary measures. Georgia's Governor Kemp has urged residents to prepare for the potential impacts, emphasizing the importance of having emergency plans and supplies ready. The hurricane is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and possible flooding, affecting cities across Georgia and neighboring states. Authorities are closely monitoring the storm's path and are in constant communication with emergency management personnel to ensure a swift response.
Pet owners in the affected areas are being advised on how to keep their animals safe during the hurricane. Experts are recommending that pet owners include their pets in their emergency plans, ensuring they have food, medications, and any necessary items readily available. Hurricane Isaias poses a significant threat to several regions, with forecasts indicating that North Alabama might also experience severe weather conditions. Residents are cautioned to stay informed through reliable sources and heed local warnings and evacuation orders, if issued, to ensure the safety of themselves and their loved ones.
October 9, 2026, at 2:15 PM EDT.
Hurricane Isaias, a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 kt, is moving north-northeast at 14 kt and is positioned 170 nm south of Pensacola, FL. It is anticipated to make landfall tonight or early Saturday. Swells from Isaias are affecting coastlines along the eastern Gulf to SE Louisiana, causing dangerous surf and rip current conditions. The hurricane's forecast includes little change in strength before landfall, with significant impacts expected along the Gulf coast.
An eastern Atlantic tropical wave is moving westward, producing scattered strong convection, while a western Caribbean wave is interacting with an upper-level low, causing active weather. The Gulf of America is seeing tropical storm force winds from Isaias, with a wide rainband extending into the Yucatan Channel, and a stationary front across N Florida. Moderate to fresh winds prevail, with ongoing effects from the hurricane expected into the weekend.
Across the Caribbean, weak high pressure allows moderate winds, with stronger pulses from the tropical wave near 80W, continuing to affect weather patterns. In the Atlantic Ocean, a cold front has brought fresh strong NE winds north of the front, and high pressure north of the Azores continues to affect the eastern waters. Hurricane Isaias's path will influence wind and sea conditions off NE Florida. Early next week, a new cold front is expected to disrupt the U.S. southeastern coast, altering wind patterns and sea conditions.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025.
Named Storms: 8 to 14
Hurricanes: 3 to 6
Major Hurricanes (Category 3 or higher): 1 to 3
Accumulate Cyclone Energy (ACE): 95% to 180% of the median
Primary Influencing Factor: Developing El Niño conditions expected to suppress Atlantic storm activity
This forecast indicates:
Despite the lower forecast, NOAA emphasizes that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to create a major disaster, and residents in hurricane-prone areas should still prepare as usual for the season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30Key: Active Past Future
*Press/click the storm name to view additional detailsDespite fewer total storms than forecasted, the 2025 season produced several extremely intense hurricanes, including three Category 5 systems, making it one of the more powerful Atlantic seasons in recent history.
2020 - 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes
Hurricane Katrina (2005) - $125 billion
Harvey (2017) - $125 billion
Hurricane Patricia (2015) - 215 mph (345 km/h)
Hurricane Allen (1980) - 190 mph (305 km/h)
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating system that classifies hurricanes based on their sustained wind speeds and the potential damage they can cause. It helps communicate the intensity of hurricanes and the likely impacts on structures and environments. The scale does not account for factors like storm surge or rainfall, focusing only on wind speeds.
Watching the Tropics was originally built as a personal storm tracker with only the most important charts for the Atlantic hurricane basin. Numerous sites are available for tracking hurricanes, but Watching the Tropics minimizes extra "noise" and shows only what you need.
Designed in Florida by
"Watching the tropics" refers to monitoring tropical weather systems, such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes, in regions close to the equator. Meteorologists and weather enthusiasts often use this phrase during hurricane season to indicate that they're keeping an eye on developing weather systems that could potentially strengthen and impact areas like the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.
Websites, news outlets, or weather services also use "Tropics Watch" to keep the public informed about the latest developments in the tropics, especially during peak hurricane season.
An "invest" refers to an area of disturbed weather that meteorologists are investigating for potential tropical development. The term "invest" is short for "investigation area."
When an area is designated as an invest, it is given a number (between 90 and 99) followed by the letter "L" for systems in the North Atlantic or "E" for systems in the Eastern Pacific. For example, "Invest 91L" would refer to the 91st area of interest in the Atlantic basin for that season.
The designation of an invest allows meteorologists to focus their resources on a specific area, utilize specialized forecasting models, and issue updates as needed.
A tropical depression is a type of tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph (34 knots or 63 km/h).
Key characteristics:
It's the first stage of development in the tropical cyclone classification used by the National Hurricane Center, followed by tropical storm and then hurricane.
