Emergency declared in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama as Hurricane Isaias reaches Category 2 storm

A Category 2 warning has been declared in three US states as Hurricane Isaias prompts evacuations in a growing list of cities.

Residents in affected areas have been urged to take the storm seriously, with officials warning people to prepare for potentially dangerous weather conditions.

Hurricanes can bring powerful winds, torrential rainfall and the risk of flooding, and Hurricane Isaias, the first of the 2026 hurricane season, has been barreling towards the Gulf Coast in recent days.

According to the National Weather Service, the hurricane has strengthened to Category 2, with storms of this intensity typically producing wind speeds of 96 to 110 mph and are capable of causing 'extensive damage'.

The NWS said in a statement: "If a hurricane warning or a storm surge warning has been issued for your area, any preparations to protect life and property from storm surge and damaging winds should be rushed to completion today."

Residents in the three states at risk have been warned. (Getty Stock Images)

And three states in particular are due to be affected more than most, including Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Following the emergency declaration, numerous people and businesses have taken emergency precautions, including Pensacola International Airport, which announced that it will close all commercial operations starting Friday morning at 10am.

"The safety of our passengers and airport community is our top priority," the airport stated on Instagram.

"The reopening date and time remain to be determined and will depend on damage assessments and confirmation that operations can safely resume."

Hurricane Isaias is the first of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. (Getty Stock Images)

Hurricane Isaias continues to strengthen today (October 9), with the National Hurricane Center suggesting the storm could easily approach Category 3 intensity, according to its latest update.

"Preparations should be rushed to completion as the weather will go downhill quickly today," they wrote.

"Isaias is likely to become a major hurricane this morning. Slight weakening is expected before landfall, but it is expected to remain a dangerous hurricane."

And Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Fla, has urged residents in Florida to take the storm seriously. "Don’t be a knucklehead," he said.

"Don’t think you can handle this storm, we’ve got 1.8 million new Floridians in the state of Florida since 2018. A lot of those folks have no idea what they’re in for."

The representative added: "I’m glad they’re in our state. I’m glad they’ve decided to retire here, bring their business, but they don’t know what a hurricane can do to them.

"Err on the side of caution. If you’re told to evacuate, please leave."