Hurricane Isaias bears down on US Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias, a Category 3 storm, is approaching the US Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations and warnings of life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, and flooding. According to Le Monde English, the storm is fueled by exceptionally warm Gulf waters and will be the first hurricane to strike the US mainland since 2024.

The storm intensified rapidly, growing from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 3 storm with 120-mile-per-hour winds overnight, as reported by Scientific American. This rapid strengthening is attributed to the presence of El Niño, or unusually warm ocean waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which can alter weather patterns.

Preparations are underway, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis holding a news briefing on Friday to lay out plans, according to CBS News. President Trump also cancelled his attendance at a University of Georgia vs. University of Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, citing the need for first responders to focus on the storm, as reported by The Hill.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Scientific American, The Hill, CBS News, ABC News (US) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.