Hurricane Isaias has strengthened in the central Gulf of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 80 mph. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is urging residents along the northern Gulf Coast to rush all safety preparations to completion today.
Moving east-northeast at 9 mph, Isaias is expected to turn north and make landfall late Friday night or early Saturday morning with continued strengthening.
Click HERE for more in the NHC's 7am advisory.
- Storm Surge: Peak surges of 5 to 7 feet above ground level are possible in Mobile Bay and from Ocean Springs, MS to Indian Pass, FL.
- Wind: Hurricane winds extend 15 miles outward; tropical storm winds reach up to 90 miles, arriving Friday.
- Rainfall: Totals of 3 to 7 inches (isolated up to 10 inches) are projected from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, threatening flash and urban flooding.
- Tornadoes: Isolated tornadoes may occur Friday night into Saturday across coastal Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle.
Officials urge residents in warning zones to heed evacuation orders and prepare for power outages.
As Hurricane Isaias threatens the Gulf, elite responders from Miami-Dade are deploying to the front lines. Teams like Florida Task Force One are on high alert, bringing specialized search and rescue assets, including specialized handlers and K9 units, to assist impacted communities