Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane with 120 mph winds and a central pressure of 959 millibars as it churned north-northeast about 195 miles south of Pensacola. The National Hurricane Center shifted the track slightly east and now expects landfall this evening along the extreme western Florida Panhandle, with the storm potentially holding major intensity through landfall. A Hurricane Warning covers the northern Gulf Coast from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Florida’s Bay and Gulf County line, and storm surge between the Alabama-Florida border and Grayton Beach could reach 6 to 9 feet. Rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated totals up to 15 inches, plus hurricane-force winds up to 100 miles inland and a growing tornado threat, make this a life-threatening event for the Panhandle and points north.
Sarasota and Bradenton sit well outside the warnings, but that does not mean the Suncoast escapes every impact. The same storm pulling north through the Gulf is churning our local waters, raising the risk of rough surf and dangerous rip currents from Anna Maria down through Venice. Beachgoers heading to Siesta Key, Lido, or Bradenton Beach should expect elevated surf and red flag conditions. Rip currents are the number one weather killer on Florida beaches, and they can pull even strong swimmers away from shore in seconds. If red flags are flying, stay on the sand.
For anyone with travel plans toward the Panhandle, the Florida Big Bend, or Alabama and Georgia this weekend, expect road conditions, closures, and delays. Now we want to hear from you: do you have family in the Panhandle riding out Isaias, or a hurricane plan you swear by here at home? Sound off in the comments, and keep it locked to us for updates as landfall approaches.
