Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm on Thursday as it moved toward the northern US Gulf Coast. It is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season.

The storm had maximum sustained winds near 100 miles per hour on Thursday afternoon. It was located about 435 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, moving northeast at 12 mph. Landfall is expected late Friday or early Saturday.

A hurricane warning covers the coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Mexico Beach, Florida. Forecasters warned of a life-threatening storm surge of five to seven feet in parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Residents in the warning area were told to follow local officials’ advice and evacuate if ordered. The storm could bring up to 10 inches of rain to parts of Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

The storm ends an unusually quiet season. Only three seasons since 1851 have gone without a hurricane through October 7. Experts blame a strong El Nino pattern.

Context: reinsurance analysts estimate insured losses could reach the low billions of dollars, depending on the storm’s track.