Hurricane Isaias has become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, breaking a more than century-old record for the latest first hurricane to form in the basin as it strengthens on its way toward the US.

The storm intensified into a Category 1 hurricane early Thursday with maximum sustained winds of about 75 mph (120 km/h), according to the US National Hurricane Center. Isaias is expected to strengthen further before reaching the northern Gulf Coast, with hurricane conditions forecast across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi. 

The development comes after an unusually quiet Atlantic season. Isaias is the ninth named storm of 2026, but the first to reach hurricane strength, with a powerful El Niño helping suppress hurricane activity for much of the season. 

Its formation on October 8 also makes it the latest first Atlantic hurricane on record, surpassing the previous benchmark set in 1905. 

Authorities along the Gulf Coast have stepped up preparations as Isaias approaches. Tropical storm force winds could begin reaching coastal areas by Friday, while hurricane conditions are expected around and inland from the landfall zone from Friday night into early Saturday. 

Strong winds could topple trees and cause widespread power outages, potentially affecting communities more than 100 miles inland.

 The National Hurricane Center is warning of 5 to 7 feet of inundation around Mobile Bay and from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida, with the greatest danger expected near and east of the landfall location. 

Heavy rainfall is another concern, with 3 to 7 inches expected from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle and isolated totals of up to 10 inches. 

Parts of the Southeast, including areas as far north and east as the Tennessee Valley and Carolinas, could also receive significant rainfall through Saturday, raising the risk of flash flooding, particularly across southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. 

Vacation communities along Alabama's southern coast have begun securing properties and preparing for the storm, while authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to follow evacuation and emergency instructions. 

With Isaias expected to intensify before landfall, forecasters are warning that the combination of hurricane-force winds, storm surge, flooding and heavy rain could produce dangerous conditions across a broad section of the Gulf Coast.