Isaias becomes season’s first Atlantic hurricane
The storm is heading towards the northern Gulf Coast of the United States, where flooding and prolonged power cuts are expected.
Tropical Storm Isaias has developed into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. The US National Hurricane Center is warning of heavy rain, storm surge and hurricane-force winds along parts of the northern Gulf Coast.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Isaias reached wind speeds of 75 miles per hour, approximately 120 kilometres per hour, on Wednesday evening. The storm was then over the Gulf of Mexico, about 745 kilometres south-west of the mouth of the Mississippi.
Isaias was moving north-east and, according to forecasts at the time, was expected to approach the US coast on Friday. The warnings applied mainly to parts of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Local officials urged residents to prepare.
The greatest risks are not only the wind, but also storm surge and heavy rainfall. The Hurricane Center warned of potentially prolonged power cuts, flash flooding and river flooding. The precise effects will depend on the storm’s path and further development.
The hurricane’s formation comes late in the season. Atlantic activity has so far been notably limited, while several systems are active in the eastern Pacific. US meteorologists attribute part of the difference to strong El Niño conditions, which can inhibit the formation of storms over the Atlantic Ocean.
For coastal residents, the forecasts remain the main guide. A hurricane can strengthen or weaken in a short time, and its path can shift. The Hurricane Center therefore publishes new warnings continuously, and local weather services translate them into evacuation and safety advice.
For the Netherlands, the storm is primarily of indirect significance. The Gulf Coast is important for energy production, ports and refineries. Any disruptions could therefore affect oil and transport markets, although it is not yet possible to determine how large those effects will be.
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The storm’s status, wind speed, location and risks were checked directly with the National Hurricane Center and compared with AP and Reuters. Forecasts are phrased as forecasts.
- confirmed Isaias became the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season. — AP and the National Hurricane Center reported its development into a hurricane on 7 October. source
- confirmed The maximum wind speed was 75 miles per hour. — This is stated in the National Hurricane Center’s public advisory. source
- confirmed The storm was about 745 kilometres south-west of the mouth of the Mississippi. — The same advisory gives the position and distance. source
- confirmed The system can cause heavy rain, storm surge and power cuts. — The hazards are mentioned in the Hurricane Center’s warnings and discussion. source
Editor's note
The storm’s status, location and warnings are based on the Hurricane Center. The expected landfall location and damage remain uncertain because the storm is still developing.Sources
- Hurricane Isaias Public Advisory Update — National Hurricane Center
- Tropical Storm Isaias Advisory Archive — National Hurricane Center
- Isaias becomes the first hurricane of the Atlantic season — Associated Press
- US NHC says Isaias has become a hurricane — Reuters via Internazionale
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „isaias orkaan”
- NU.nl — „isaias orkaan”
- De Telegraaf — „isaias orkaan”