Hurricane Isaias strengthens as Gulf Coast landfall approaches

Hurricane Isaias has strengthened Thursday as it moves toward the northern Gulf Coast, with hurricane conditions expected along portions of the U.S. coast Friday night into early Saturday.

As of 7 a.m. CDT Thursday, Isaias is located about 280 km north-northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and about 620 km south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The storm has maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h, with higher gusts, and is moving east-northeast at about 15 km/h. Additional strengthening is expected through early Friday, and Isaias is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the Gulf Coast.

The National Hurricane Center expects the storm to turn northeast later Thursday and northward Friday. Isaias is forecast to pass north of the Yucatan Peninsula before making landfall somewhere along the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida. Tropical Storm Warnings extend along portions of the Louisiana and Florida coasts.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Steinhatchee River in Florida, while a Storm Surge Watch extends from the Steinhatchee River to Yankeetown, Florida.

There will be potentially life-threatening coastal flooding, with the highest storm surge expected near and east of the eventual landfall location.

Storm surge could reach:

• 5 to 7 feet: Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida, including Mobile Bay

• 3 to 5 feet: Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs

• 4 to 6 feet: Indian Pass to the Steinhatchee River

• 2 to 4 feet: Steinhatchee River to Yankeetown

• 1 to 3 feet: Lake Pontchartrain

The National Hurricane Center says preparations to protect life and property should be completed Thursday in areas under a hurricane warning.

Heavy rain and flooding possible

Isaias is expected to bring significant rainfall to parts of the Gulf Coast and southeastern United States.

From Friday through the weekend, 3 to 7 inches of rain, with isolated totals up to 10 inches, are possible across the central Gulf Coast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.

Additional rainfall of 1 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts, is possible across parts of the Southeast as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas.

Flash and urban flooding, along with isolated river flooding, is possible.

Tornado threat

Isolated tornadoes could develop Friday night across coastal Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and far southwestern Georgia.

The tornado threat is expected to continue Saturday across eastern Alabama, Georgia and northern Florida.

Large swells are also expected to spread northward from the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf Coast, producing dangerous surf and rip currents.