Hurricane Isaias 2026: Live Tracker, Path Updates & Urgent Safety Alerts

Hurricane Isaias barrels toward the northern Gulf Coast today with sustained winds of 105 mph and the potential to briefly reach major-hurricane (Category 3) strength before a late-Friday landfall between Pensacola, FL, and Mobile, AL. Forecast at a glance • Current status: Category 2, centered ~230 mi south of the Mississippi River mouth, moving NNE 13 mph. • Expected landfall: Late Friday night into early Saturday. • Primary hazards: 5–7 ft storm surge, 8–15 inches of rain, 110 mph peak winds, isolated tornadoes. Why Isaias is different Record-warm Gulf Loop Current eddies are fueling rapid intensification, while increasing upper-level shear should knock the hurricane down a notch before landfall. That “weakened but wider” structure spreads surge and flooding across a broader swath of the Southeast. Counties under states of emergency • Florida: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Franklin and coastal Bay. • Alabama: Baldwin, Mobile, plus 38 inland counties. • Georgia: Coastal Chatham, Liberty, Glynn. Mandatory evacuations now cover Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, St. George Island, Dog Island, Alligator Point, Dauphin Island and tourist zones south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Residents who stay should expect no emergency services until winds subside. Timing the impacts Friday morning: Outer bands reach coastal Louisiana and Mississippi with squalls and waterspouts. Friday afternoon: Tropical-storm-force winds spread eastward from New Orleans to Panama City; airports in Pensacola and Destin close. Friday night: Eye wall pushes ashore between Fort Walton Beach and Gulf Shores; peak surge and widespread power outages. Saturday: Storm races inland through Alabama and Georgia, dropping 3–6 inches of rain as far north as Atlanta, then transitions to a potent nor’easter over the Carolinas by Sunday. How to prepare before the window closes 1. Finish boarding windows; catastrophic debris injuries rise once winds exceed 90 mph. 2. Move vehicles above expected surge depth (at least 8 ft for barrier-island lots). 3. Charge all devices and turn refrigerators to max cold to preserve food during outages. 4. Use text messages, not calls, to keep cell networks clear for 911. 5. Know your zone; if ordered to evacuate, leave now. Critical resources • Live track & advisories: hurricanes.gov (NHC) • Local evacuation routes: Florida 511 & Alabama 511 • Shelter updates: RedCross.org / 1-800-RED-CROSS • FEMA disaster info: Ready.gov/hurricanes Bottom line Hurricane Isaias will be the most significant Gulf Coast strike since Ida in 2021. Whether you face direct eyewall winds or rain-wrapped tornadoes hundreds of miles inland, decisive action today can be the difference between inconvenience and catastrophe. Stay alert, follow official orders, and keep tuning to reliable forecasts as the storm evolves.