(The Center Square) - Tropical Storm Isaias is likely to become a significant hurricane before making landfall on the north-central Gulf Coast late Friday or this weekend between the Florida Panhandle and southeast Louisiana, according to the latest forecast by the National Hurricane Center.

Invest 92L was upgraded Wednesday from Tropical Depression Nine to Isaias, the ninth named storm in the 2026 hurricane season. Isaias is strengthening rapidly and will likely become a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph on Thursday, according to the latest forecast. The hurricane center projects in its 4 p.m. CDT update that the storm will intensify to a Category 2 hurricane on Friday before weakening as landfall approaches.

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