Hurricane Isaias: Storm upgraded to Category 3

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Isaias is strengthening and is expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday morning.

The hurricane is the first of the Atlantic season.

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Tropical storm conditions

Update 2:18 p.m. ET, Oct. 9: The National Hurricane Center said that tropical storm conditions have begun along the Northern Gulf Coast, advising that storm preparations should be completed within the next few hours.

A tornado watch was issued for Friday afternoon for the Florida Panhandle, parts of Alabama and parts of Georgia, The New York Times reported.

Gaining strength

Update 8:30 a.m. ET, Oct. 9: Hurricane Isaias strengthened on Friday morning and was upgraded to a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

Original report: The New York Times said Friday morning that the storm was nearing a Category 3 and showed little sign of weakening. CNN noted that the eye of the storm formed late Thursday.

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The path remains the same, with landfall expected between Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Destin, Florida.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey ordered non-residents to evacuate several areas on Thursday in advance of the storm, The Associated Press reported.

Hours before the expected landfall, rain has already been falling in the Panhandle and southern Georgia, CNN reported. The rain will intensify and move north as Isaias gets closer to the coast.

The National Hurricane Center warned in its 4 a.m. CDT advisory that the central U.S. Gulf coast and much of the Southeast will have heavy rain with flash and urban flooding, along with river flooding. The heavy rain and flooding could impact Tennessee and North Carolina over the weekend, the AP reported.

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