Isaias becomes season’s first hurricane
Deep into a quiet Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Isaias has developed into the first hurricane of the year.
Isaias was categorized as a hurricane late Wednesday evening, which resulted in history being made.
Hurricane Isaias is now the latest first-forming hurricane in the Atlantic Basin among seasons that produced at least one hurricane, a record that stood for 121 years.
“We’ve gone from a historic stretch without a hurricane to a potentially destructive storm threatening the Gulf Coast in a matter of days,” said AccuWeather expert meteorologist Dan Pydynowski in a release. “El Niño has helped suppress hurricane activity across the Atlantic this season, but it hasn’t eliminated the threat. Even in an unusually quiet season, it only takes one hurricane to have devastating consequences for communities in its path.”
According to AccuWeather, the now Category 1 hurricane is forecast to strengthen into a Category 2 before making landfall just east of Mobile Bay, Alabama, Friday night.
AccuWeather hurricane experts say Isaias could become a major hurricane before reaching the coast, bringing life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, flooding rainfall and tornadoes.
According to the National Hurricane Center, as of Thursday, Isaias is moving toward the east-northeast near 10 mph (17 km/h). A turn toward the northeast is expected Thursday, followed by a turn northward on Friday.
“On the forecast track, Isaias is expected to pass to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula later today and make landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf Coast within the warning area late Friday or early Saturday,” wrote NHC Senior Hurricane Specialist Richard Pasch on Thursday. “Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 85 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected through early Friday, and Isaias should remain a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast Friday night.
“Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles.”
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 26-202 declaring a state of emergency for 25 Florida counties in preparation for Isaias.
“Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from Tropical Depression 9. This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond,” DeSantis said Tuesday. “Floridians should take this time to get disaster plans in place and ensure their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”
DeSantis issued the State of Emergency for the following counties: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington.
DeSantis’ office stated that SERT teams are currently mobilizing resources to support storm preparation and response efforts. Officials stated that resources will be strategically staged in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area to cover the storm’s rapid deployment as needed.