Isaias becomes first hurricane of 2026 Atlantic season, threatens northern Gulf Coast. See maps, forecast path.

Hurricane Isaias was intensifying early Thursday and is expected to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday, threatening parts of Mississippi, Alabama and the western part of the Florida Panhandle. It became the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season after strengthening from a tropical storm late Wednesday night. A hurricane warning is in effect for the northern Gulf Coast, from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, across Alabama to Florida’s Bay/Gulf County line.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for more than two dozen counties in his state, and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency for 40 counties.  Maps show hurricane’s path Isaias, pronounced “ees-ah-EE-ahs,” had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph early Thursday and its core was located about 420 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, according to the National Hurricane Center.  “Additional strengthening is expected through early Friday, and Isaias should remain a strong hurricane as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast on Friday night,” the center said.

“Preparations to protect life and property from storm surge and damaging winds along the warning area of the Gulf Coast should be rushed to completion today,” the Miami-based center stressed. Along with the hurricane warning, a tropical storm warning was issued from Louisiana’s Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish line to west of Ocean Springs, Mississippi and from east of the Bay/Gulf County line to Florida’s Aucilla River. A storm surge warning was issued from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Steinhatchee River in Florida. The hurricane center forecasts 3 to 7 inches of rain and as much as 10 inches in some places along the coast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. Much of the Southeast, and as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas, could see heavy rainfall.

The latest for a first hurricane since 1905 Isaias’ progression into a hurricane on Wednesday marked the latest date in 121 years for the Atlantic season’s first hurricane to develop, just missing a record set on Oct. 8, 1905, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.  The season, which has been unusually quiet in the Atlantic this year, runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.   An Atlantic hurricane season typically produces, on average, 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, according to the hurricane center, which used climate data collected between 1991 and 2020 to calculate those figures. A season’s first named storm normally forms in mid- to late-June, while the first hurricane tends to form in early- to mid-August, and the first major hurricane often comes in late August or early September.

Forecasters predicted there would be less Atlantic storm activity than usual this year, but so far it has been even quieter than anticipated. Meteorologists say that’s largely due to to the onset of a strong El Niño over the summer, which typically correlates with cooler water temperatures and greater fluctuations in wind patterns over the Atlantic, conditions that dampen the growth of tropical systems. The Pacific, meanwhile, has seen an unusually active series of hurricanes.

Source: Isaias becomes first hurricane of 2026 Atlantic season, threatens northern Gulf Coast. See maps, forecast path. – CBS News

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1

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12-foot Mississippi River gator caught — now, who wants to go swimming?

Alligator resting in shallow water in a cypress swamp

Alligator hunting season is off to a massive start in Mississippi — and this catch is enough to make you think twice before jumping into the Mississippi River. According to the Vicksburg Daily News, Jonathan Wimberley and his friends had an impressive first night of hunting, catching a 12-foot, 4-inch alligator in the Mississippi River. For hunters targeting alligators on Mississippi’s public waterways, the season is a short one. It begins at noon on the last Friday in August and runs through noon the following Monday, 10 days later. That means hunters have a limited window to go after some of Mississippi’s biggest reptiles. And Wimberley and his friends wasted no time.

The 12-foot, 4-inch gator is a massive catch and a reminder of what could be lurking beneath the surface of the Mississippi River. For anyone who has ever looked at the river and thought, “I could probably swim in that,” this might be the picture that changes your mind. Mississippi’s alligator hunting season is regulated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and hunters must follow state rules regarding permits, hunting areas and legal methods. For Wimberley and his friends, opening night delivered a catch they likely won’t forget anytime soon. For the rest of us, it may be another reason to keep our swimming adventures somewhere a little less… toothy. Congratulations to Jonathan Wimberley and his friends on the massive catch.

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As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Psalm 18:30

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