Hurricane Isaias strengthens as US Gulf Coast prepares for landfall

Hurricane Isaias continues to strengthen as it approaches the US Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations in parts of Florida and emergency declarations in Alabama. The first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season is expected to reach near Category 3 intensity, with sustained winds of 110 mph before making landfall late Friday or early Saturday.

The strong El Nino weather pattern this year has suppressed Atlantic hurricane development, but Isaias is still packing maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and is moving east-northeast at 10 mph. Forecasters warn of life-threatening storm surges, tornadoes, and flooding, with potential storm surges of 5 to 7 feet above sea level in the hardest-hit coastal areas.

Energy companies have already been forced to evacuate offshore platforms and shut down operations due to the hurricane's impact on the Gulf of Mexico's oil and gas production, which has already decreased by 25.08% for oil and 16.37% for natural gas.

Brief written by urgent.news from Investing.com's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.