Hurricane Isaias heads for the northern Gulf Coast; Alabama orders coastal visitors out

Oct. 8, 2026 — Hurricane Isaias is forecast to make landfall on the U.S. northern Gulf Coast late Friday, Oct. 9, or early Saturday, Oct. 10, the National Hurricane Center said. As of its 1 a.m. CDT advisory Oct. 8, a hurricane warning ran from Ocean Springs, Miss., to the Bay/Gulf County line in Florida, and a storm surge warning from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Florida's Steinhatchee River. The storm then had 75 mph winds about 180 miles northwest of Progreso, Mexico, and was expected to strengthen through early Oct. 9.

By the center's 4 p.m. advisory Oct. 8, Isaias was a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds, forecast to reach 110 mph early Oct. 9, just below major-hurricane strength, with a storm surge of 5 to 7 feet possible from Ocean Springs to Indian Pass, Fla., including Mobile Bay, and localized rain totals up to 15 inches, Mobile station Fox10 reported.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency for 40 counties Oct. 7. On Oct. 8, at the request of local officials, she ordered all nonresidents, tourists and visitors to leave Baldwin County south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, including Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, and Dauphin Island in Mobile County. State offices in nine counties close at noon Oct. 9. She warned of strong winds, heavy rain and possible tornadoes.

For current advisories and instructions, follow the National Hurricane Center and local emergency officials.

The wall: Where Isaias comes ashore and how strong it is at landfall are forecasts that later advisories may change.

Tier: Reported (based on the governor's release and the hurricane center's 1 a.m. advisory; the afternoon figures are Fox10's account of the 4 p.m. advisory)

Sources

• Office of Gov. Kay Ivey, Governor Ivey Urges Alabamians to Prepare for Hurricane Isaias, Provides Update (Oct. 8, 2026) | || National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Isaias Intermediate Advisory 6A (Oct. 8, 2026) | https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+html/080541.shtml || Fox10, Hurricane Isaias strengthening; Gulf Coast impacts expected Friday into Saturday (Oct. 8, 2026) | https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-strengthening-gulf-coast-impacts-expected-friday-into-saturday/

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