Now HURRICANE Isaias

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A hurricane hunter at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday night found winds up to 75 mph making Isaias the 1st. hurricane of the quiet 2026 season. It is expected to rapidly intensify on Thursday with winds increasing to 110 mph by Friday morning.This is a going to be a dangerous hurricane with a storm surge up to 7 feet near and to the right of the center of the storm as it makes landfall. Hurricane warnings are now up from Mississippi through the Florida panhandle. It is moving to the ENE at 9 mph and is expected to turn to the north by late Thursday.We will see some impacts here along the SW coast of Florida. Expect to see high surf beginning on Friday and lasting through Saturday. There will likely be small craft advisories for our waters late Friday through Saturday.High surf can be expected as waves from Isaias propagate out from the center of the storm. There is a coastal flood advisory from Pinellas north through Pasco Counties.