Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning and is forecast to intensify rapidly into the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency across 25 counties via Executive Order 26-202 to stage preparedness resources ahead of a potential Friday landfall.
Forecast models indicate the storm could make landfall anywhere from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, bringing heavy rain and tropical-storm-force winds.