Experts Warn Tropical Storm Isaias Could Become Hurricane Later This Week

By Kendall Waltz Leave a Comment

Uh oh, a storm is moving closer to Florida, and we might see some pretty intense weather. We’re in the middle of storm season, so massive weather changes aren’t surprising, but storms haven’t gotten this close.

Rainy Day in Magic Kingdom

That may be changing as Tropical Storm Isaias forms in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to News 6, Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to strengthen rapidly and could become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. It has had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was moving east-northeast at about 8 mph. The storm is expected to turn northward and speed up, approaching the northern Gulf Coast by Friday afternoon.

©News 6

The storm is moving over very warm Gulf waters with plenty of moisture and relatively light wind shear, creating a favorable environment for rapid strengthening. The National Hurricane Center expects Isaias to become a strong hurricane before approaching the northern Gulf Coast on Friday.

©National Hurricane Center

If the storm becomes a hurricane, it would mark the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, and if it reaches hurricane strength by October 8th, it could tie the record for the latest first hurricane, set on October 8th, 1905.

Storm season in Magic Kingdom

The storm’s exact track is uncertain, but a Storm Surge Watch is now in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Yankeetown, Florida, while a Hurricane Watch is in effect from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida.

Rainy days

The storm is expected to grow as it approaches the coast, meaning impacts could extend well beyond the center. Central Florida is not expected to get a direct hurricane impact, but the storm could pull additional tropical moisture into the Southeast and contribute to a wetter pattern across the region this weekend, with possible heavy rain and flooding.

Stay up to date with local weather channels for the latest information, and keep following DFB for more.

7 HURRICANE SEASON TIPS FROM A DISNEY WORLD EXPERT WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA

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