Isaías will make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the southern U.S. Its formation breaks the quiet season the Atlantic has had.
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Image source, NOAAImage caption, Isaías will reach the Gulf of Mexico coasts in the southern US as a category 2 hurricane. By, NewsroomTitle of author, BBC News MundoPublication date 9 minutesReading time: 4 minThe storm Isaías strengthened in recent hours and has become the first hurricane of this year's Atlantic season, on a direct path toward the Gulf of Mexico coast in the southern US. Early this Thursday, Isaías became a category one hurricane. It was moving through the gulf's waters with winds of 140 km/h in the afternoon hours. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the coasts of the state of Mississippi and northwest Florida. It is expected to make landfall between Friday night and early Saturday, with destructive winds, torrential rains, and a storm surge in the region under alert. The arrival of Isaías puts an end to the absence of hurricanes in the current Atlantic season, a rarity that is due to the intensity that the El Niño phenomenon has shown this year. In its most recent update, the US National Hurricane Center estimates that hurricane Isaias will intensify further, reaching category two by Friday morning, with sustained winds of around 177 km/h. Some areas of Mexico will feel the first impacts as the storm moves across the sea, with the possibility of 100 mm of rain falling around the Bay of Campeche and the Yucatán Peninsula, accompanied by strong winds. Afterwards, Isaías will make landfall on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the southern US, most likely near the Florida Panhandle and the border with Mississippi in the early hours of Saturday, local time. Skip Most read and continue readingMost readEnd of Most readAfter making landfall, it will head north, toward Alabama and part of Missouri. Although it will weaken into a tropical storm, it will continue bringing dangerous winds and torrential rains throughout Saturday. Image source, NOAAImage caption, The Florida Panhandle region and the Mississippi coast will be the most affected by Isaías's rains. Between 75-150 mm of rain could fall along the US coast, from southeast Louisiana to northwest Florida. But in some specific spots up to 250 mm could be recorded, with possible flash floods, especially in urban areas, and the risk of isolated river overflows. The NHC has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings along the Gulf of Mexico coast. State of emergencyFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he has declared a state of emergency in 25 counties amid concern over the possible impacts. Several major sporting events across the region have been canceled or rescheduled due to the approaching storm. For now, the long-awaited American football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama —which President Donald Trump will attend in the city of Tuscaloosa— is expected to take place on Saturday. As the storm moves further inland and loses contact with its source of energy, the warm waters, it will weaken. However, it is still expected to bring rainy weather that could cause disruptions across large areas of the southeastern US, reaching as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas. Video title, What is Super El Niño and why it could be the strongest in centuriesThe El Niño effectMeteorologists had forecast that the 2026 hurricane season would be quieter than usual, due to the strong El Niño phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean. A weather phenomenon like El Niño can cause greater wind shear over the Caribbean and the Atlantic, which tears storms apart before they have time to develop. While it reduces the chances of hurricanes forming, it does not make it impossible. Isaías has managed to form in an area with limited wind shear and very high sea temperatures, currently 30 or 31 °C, which provides it with the fuel it needs to grow. Meteorologists expect it to encounter more wind shear as it moves north in the coming days, which should limit its intensification to some extent; however, the exact forecasts are likely to change in the coming days. Download the new BBC World Service app. Choose BBC News Mundo and receive news alerts, documentaries, and analysis, all in one place. Important: the new app is not available in the UK or the United States. You can also follow us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, and on our WhatsApp channel. And don't forget to subscribe here to our newsletter to receive a special selection of our best content every Friday. Discover moreSkip Video and continueVideoEnd of VideoRelated content