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NHC: Isaias forecast to become 1st hurricane of 2026 Atlantic season

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FOX 35 Orlando
Hurricanes
Updated October 7, 2026 12:05 PM MST Published October 7, 2026 3:03 AM MST
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The Brief

    • Tropical disturbance Invest 92L has become Tropical Storm Isaias, according to the National Hurricane Center.
    • The storm is expected to strengthen as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast, becoming a hurricane by Thursday.
    • Isaias is not expected to have a direct impact on Central Florida beyond bringing more rain.

Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the southwestern Gulf and is expected to quickly strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall somewhere along the southern U.S. coast, potentially over the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Isaias is forecast to become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, and marks the latest start to the Atlantic hurricane season with a hurricane in the modern satellite era.

What we know:

Tropical Storm Isaias is located in the southern Gulf, off the coast of Mexico, and is moving eastward. It's expected to turn north towards the southern U.S. coast, where it's expected to make landfall as a hurricane.

Timeline:

The NHC's forecast has Isaias becoming a category 1 hurricane on Thursday, and strengthening to a category 2 hurricane by Friday morning. It's then expected to make landfall sometime Saturday morning, potentially as a category 1 storm, according to the latest track update.

If it becomes a hurricane, it would be the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season – and the latest in the Atlantic hurricane season on record that a hurricane has formed. The previous record was set on Sept. 11.

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Will Isais impact Florida?

What's next:

While there is no threat to Orlando, Tampa, or Central Florida, the Florida Panhandle is in the forecast cone for Isaias. Tropical storm watchers and hurricane watches have been issued for areas along the U.S. Coast, between the Florida Panhandle and Louisiana.

Florida State of Emergencies

Local perspective:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for 25 counties: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington. 

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Gov. DeSantis said the Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is preparing resources in Tallahassee and Santa Rosa areas, including generators, fuel, flood barriers, box water pallets, shelf-stable meals, flood buckets, tarps, tiger dams, and sandbags.

The Source: This story was written based on information from the National Hurricane Center and the FOX 35 Storm Team. 

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