AssetID: 56078536
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Tropical Storm Isaias Expected to Strengthen Into Hurricane, Hit US Gulf Coast
Caption: Tropical Storm Isaias Expected to Strengthen Into Hurricane, Hit US Gulf Coast. Tropical Storm Isaias formed early Wednesday over the warm waters off eastern Mexico and is forecast to strengthen into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. The storm was located about 285 miles west of Progreso, Mexico, and 580 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, with sustained winds of around 40 mph. Isaias was moving east-northeast at about 8 mph, but forecasters said it was still too early to determine exactly where it would make landfall. Current projections put the storm's potential path between eastern Louisiana and the western Florida Panhandle, with the northern Gulf Coast facing the greatest risk. The National Hurricane Center warned of potentially dangerous winds and storm surge and urged residents from Louisiana to Florida to closely monitor forecasts and prepare for the storm. Heavy rainfall is also expected across parts of the Gulf Coast and the southeastern United States from Friday into the weekend, potentially bringing flooding and other weather hazards. Isaias is developing during an unusually quiet Atlantic hurricane season, which forecasters have linked in part to a strong El Niño that has hindered storm formation in the region. The relatively calm Atlantic season contrasts with above-average tropical activity in the Pacific, while Isaias could now become the season's first Atlantic hurricane later this week. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Atlantic,Pacific,Isaias,tropical storm,hurricane,Gulf Coast,National Hurricane Center,forecasts,season,El Niño,unusual,phenomenon
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