JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 5 PM, WEDNESDAY: Isaias is expected to strengthen and be a strong hurricane in the northern Gulf on Friday. The risk of damaging hurricane-force winds is increasing for portions of the Florida Panhandle. Isaias will bring heavy rainfall to much of the Southeast on Friday and into the weekend. A new track is set to be released at 8 p.m.
2 PM, WEDNESDAY: Isaias is moving east northeast at 8 miles per hour and has 50 mph winds. A new track is set to be released at 5 p.m.
11 AM, WEDNESDAY: Isaias is forecast to become a strong hurricane as it approaches the Gulf Coast later this week. Coastal and inland areas from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana should be preparing for hurricane impacts.
The core of the storm will stay well west of Jacksonville, but we will be on the eastern side of the circulation. That will spread more tropical moisture across our area Friday into Saturday, bringing a threat for heavy rain and perhaps a few tornadoes to the region. .
- Model guidance carries the system northward/northeastward toward the Gulf coast.
- Early indications are a possible landfall anywhere from Louisiana to Florida Panhandle this weekend.
- Tropical impacts will be well to our west.
- We will continue to monitor around the clock.
- “Talking The Tropics with Mike” is updated every day.
DeSantis issues state of emergency for 25 counties including Baker, Columbia
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for 25 counties that may see impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias which formed in the southwest Gulf Wednesday morning.
The counties include 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.
“This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond,” DeSantis stated in a news release Tuesday night. “Floridians should take this time to get disaster plans in place and ensure their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”
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