The Atlantic Has Its First Hurricane of the Season. Here's What To Know
The Atlantic has its first hurricane of the season.
Hurricane Isaias marked the first hurricane of the Atlantic season on October 8, 2026. Earlier, it was a tropical storm, but it rapidly intensified into a hurricane, reaching Category 2 strength. It is anticipated to become Category 3 before making landfall in the next two days. The storm poses a significant threat, especially for coastal regions along the central Gulf Coast.
A hurricane warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay-Gulf County line in Florida. Some areas of Florida’s Okaloosa County have been ordered to evacuate, and airports in the affected regions are set to close. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions, while Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for 40 counties.
The cancellation of the 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, was also due to the impending storm. Oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico are reducing production and evacuating non-essential personnel in anticipation of the hurricane. This comes at a challenging time, as America's emergency oil stockpile is at the lowest level since 1982 due to the war in Iran squeezing the supply chain and driving up prices.
This year's Atlantic hurricane season has been relatively quiet, with Hurricane Isaias being the latest-forming first hurricane in the Atlantic Basin, breaking the previous record set in 1905 by Hurricane Four by just three and a half hours. This lull in hurricane activity is attributed to El Niño, which increases vertical wind shear across the Atlantic, making it difficult for thunderstorms to transform into hurricanes.
Additionally, El Niño temporarily warms the Pacific Ocean, leading to more hurricane activity in regions not typically prone to hurricanes, such as the Pacific. However, El Niño is not expected to intensify Hurricane Isaias. In fact, it often has the opposite effect, reducing hurricane activity along the Atlantic. The storm is projected to remain a dangerous hurricane through its landfall.
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