--- title: What You Need to Know About Hurricane Isaias description: The Atlantic has its first hurricane of the season. Here's where Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall and how El Niño is impacting the storm. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/ author: Simmone Shah article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-10-08T19:28:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-09T14:38:14.000Z article:section: Climate og:title: What You Need to Know About Hurricane Isaias og:description: The Atlantic has its first hurricane of the season. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt632e1a09aa26873f/6ac7d3c16f75d51103816b3a/hurricaine-isiais.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: hurricaine-isiais.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What You Need to Know About Hurricane Isaias twitter:description: The Atlantic has its first hurricane of the season. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt632e1a09aa26873f/6ac7d3c16f75d51103816b3a/hurricaine-isiais.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Atlantic Has Its First Hurricane of the Season. Here's What To Know > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a4787a31-6702-4862-aef6-26bc7ee9f454&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a4787a31-6702-4862-aef6-26bc7ee9f454&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=a4787a31-6702-4862-aef6-26bc7ee9f454&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a4787a31-6702-4862-aef6-26bc7ee9f454&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Simmone Shah](https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/)  ## Simmone Shah Reporter Updated: Oct 9, 2026 2:38 PM UTCPublished: Oct 8, 2026 7:28 PM UTC  David Schisler and Courtney Head place plywood over the windows of the Islander Ice Cream restaurant as they prepare for the possible arrival of Hurricane Isaias on Oct. 8, 2026 in Gulf Breeze, Fla. David Schisler and Courtney Head place plywood over the windows of the Islander Ice Cream restaurant as they prepare for the possible arrival of Hurricane Isaias on Oct. 8, 2026 in Gulf Breeze, Fla. Joe Raedle—Getty Images  by [Simmone Shah](https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/)  ## Simmone Shah Reporter Updated: Oct 9, 2026 2:38 PM UTCPublished: Oct 8, 2026 7:28 PM UTC A storm is heading towards the gulf coast, ending what was a quiet start to the Atlantic [hurricane](https://time.com/6218275/strongest-hurricanes-us-map/) season. Tropical storm Isaias intensified into a hurricane early Thursday morning—making it the first [hurricane](https://time.com/5874807/hurricanes-history/) four months into the Atlantic season. As of Friday morning, Isaias had strengthened to [Category 3](https://time.com/4946730/hurricane-categories/). The storm is expected to make landfall by Friday night or Saturday morning. Here’s what to know. ## What areas are in Hurricane Isaias’s path? The storm is expected to make landfall along the central Gulf Coast on Friday night or early Saturday, bringing the threat of heavy rain and flash flooding to the regions in its path. A hurricane warning is currently in place from Ocean Springs, Miss., to the Bay-Gulf County line in Florida. Some coastal residents of Florida’s Okaloosa County have been put under evacuation order. Officials have also asked out-of-town visitors to leave the impacted area, and all three county airports are scheduled to close Thursday evening. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also issued a state of emergency for 40 counties. And the state’s 53rd Annual National Shrimp Festival, set to take place in Gulf Shores, Ala., was cancelled due to the storm. Oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico have begun cutting production and evacuating non-essential personnel from facilities in preparation for the storm. It’s a risky time to be slowing down production. America’s emergency oil stockpile is at the lowest level since 1982 as the war in Iran has squeezed the supply chain and pushed up prices. ## Why has it been a “quiet” Atlantic hurricane season? It’s been a relatively quiet hurricane season along the Atlantic. Hurricane Isaias now holds the record as the latest forming first hurricane in the Atlantic Basin—breaking the previous record set in 1905 by Hurricane Four by a mere three and a half hours, according to [Accuweather](https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/isaias-strengthens-into-atlantics-first-hurricane-and-will-reach-us-coast-early-this-weekend/1942566). Isaias is the ninth named storm of the Atlantic season—and the first to reach hurricane strength. The lull is attributable to El Niño. The phenomenon increases vertical wind shear across the Atlantic, making it harder for thunderstorms to turn into hurricanes. It also temporarily warms up the Pacific Ocean—which often leads to more hurricane activity on a coast that doesn’t typically see a lot of hurricanes. There have been a number of hurricanes in the Pacific this year. By Sept. [28](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/powerful-storms-continue-to-prowl-the-pacific/), the number of named storms in the region was at 20, with nine reaching hurricane strength. This weekend, as Isaias barrels through the Gulf states, two Pacific storms will make their mark out West: Category 4 hurricane Simon is expected to make landfall along the southwestern coast of Mexico early Sunday morning, while tropical storm Rachel is set to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds to Southern California and other parts of the southwestern United States later this weekend and early next week. ## Will El Niño intensify the storm? El Niño is not likely to intensify the storm. In fact, it often has the opposite effect, weakening hurricane activity along the Atlantic. Even still—the storm’s impact will be felt. The National Hurricane Center [said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/080253.shtml?) on Thursday morning that the storm is expected to "remain a dangerous hurricane through landfall.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/"},"headline":"The Atlantic Has Its First Hurricane of the Season. Here's What To Know","datePublished":"2026-10-08T19:28:57.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-09T14:38:14.000Z","description":"The Atlantic has its first hurricane of the season.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/","keywords":["Hurricanes","extreme weather"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt632e1a09aa26873f/6ac7d3c16f75d51103816b3a/hurricaine-isiais.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Simmone Shah","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/simmone-shah/"}],"articleSection":"Climate","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt632e1a09aa26873f/6ac7d3c16f75d51103816b3a/hurricaine-isiais.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"hurricaine-isiais.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Joe Raedle—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/climate/","name":"Climate"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/hurricanes/","name":"Hurricanes"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/hurricane-isaias-what-to-know/","name":"The Atlantic Has Its First Hurricane of the Season. Here's What To Know"}}]}] ```