Hurricane Isaias dey continue to gather strength for Gulf after e become first Atlantic hurricane of season, and dem expect say e go make landfall along northern Gulf Coast later this week as dangerous Category 2 hurricane.
Isaias dey expected to approach coast by Friday, with landfall currently estimated to be sometime late Friday or early Saturday between Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.
Isaias strengthened from Category 1 to Category 2 hurricane on Thursday, with sustained winds of 100 mph as e dey move northeast at 12 mph.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp don declare states of emergency ahead of storm.
For Thursday press conference, DeSantis urge residents to prepare now, including fill up their gas tanks and stock up on enough water and nonperishable food to last through potential power outage. He talk say, ‘If you are in the Panhandle, assume that you are going to lose power. Prepare to lose power. That is likely to happen with a storm that is at hurricane status.’
Officials dey urge residents to finalize preparations to protect life and property from storm surge, damaging winds and potential coastal flooding as powerful storm approaches. NHC talk say, ‘Preparations to protect life and property from storm surge and damaging winds should be rushed to completion in the warning area.’
Over a dozen Florida and Alabama counties don cancel school through end of week, and multiple colleges don close their campuses.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders don been issued for Dauphin Island in Alabama, as well as Okaloosa and Escambia counties in Florida. Mandatory evacuation orders don also been issued in Walton County, Florida. City of Orange Beach don issue mandatory evacuations of coastal tourists and visitors.
City officials for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach talk say, ‘In anticipation of the expected impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias, the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are encouraging all non-residents, and residents living in low-lying, flood prone areas to voluntarily evacuate. City officials urge all individuals who are not permanent residents to leave the area immediately and relocate to a safer location.’
Shell and Chevron don institute shut-in production procedures across five of their offshore oil facilities in Gulf and remove non-essential workers, respectively. BP talk say e also dey remove non-essential personnel and securing offshore facilities. ExxonMobil operations currently normal, but dem dey monitor forecast closely.
Hurricane Isaias strengthened from Tropical Storm Isaias late Wednesday night. In their Wednesday 11 p.m. update, National Hurricane Center keep Isaias at tropical storm strength. About 30 minutes later, dem release special advisory stating say Isaias don strengthen into Category 1 hurricane.
Isaias rapidly intensified from tropical storm into Category 1 hurricane, with winds increasing by 40 mph in just six hours between Wednesday afternoon and late Wednesday night.
Isaias forecast cone show say e dey head directly toward northern Gulf Coast, with impacts centered over roughly 30 million people in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida Panhandle.
Tropical weather advisories don expand inland, across parts of southern Alabama and southwestern Georgia. Hurricane Warning dey in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida.
Latest from Fox Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross: A Storm Surge Warning also dey in effect from mouth of Mississippi to Suwannee River in Florida’s Big Bend region. NHC talk say, ‘The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.’ Currently, between 5 and 7 feet of surge dey forecast for Mobile Bay and from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida.
Heavy rain dey expected to begin on Friday, with flash flooding, damaging wind gusts, storm surge and even tornadoes possible as storm comes ashore. Storm dey expected to continue to strengthen early Friday, with heavy rain reaching parts of Gulf Coast as early as Friday morning.
FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross note say several dynamic factors still remain at play, which go determine how strong and exactly where Isaias go make landfall, namely storm angle of approach and how winds go impact storm as e comes ashore. Some forecast models show Isaias weakening at landfall, while others show storm strengthening as strong winds high in atmosphere interact with am from north. Norcross talk say most of storm most impactful weather most likely dey on right side of storm center.
Meanwhile, NOAA Weather Prediction Center (WPC) don issue Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk for Mobile, Alabama, and Florida Panhandle west of Panama City. Level 2 risk include Atlanta and Montgomery, Alabama, and eventually shifts inland into Saturday to include Carolinas and Tennessee Valley.
Rainfall estimates currently show 6 to 10 inches with localized higher amounts which go lead to flash and urban flooding and eventually river flooding, FOX Forecast Center talk say. NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) don issue Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe weather for Saturday across southern Alabama and into Florida Panhandle, with particular threat of tornadoes as storm outer bands come ashore.
Tropical Storm Isaias churns in Gulf as oil rigs prepare for potentially dangerous conditions. System dey expected to move inland quickly with heavy rain spreading across Southeast Saturday, triggering broad Level 2 flash flood risk from some places along Mississippi River to Southeast coast.
