Hurricane Isaias strengthens into Category 2, barrels toward US Gulf Coast
The first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 has strengthened into a Category 2 storm as it moves toward the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle.
Schools and government offices in Florida and Alabama have been closed, with more than a dozen Florida school districts shuttered for Thursday and Friday.
The storm has shut in 500,000 barrels per day — a quarter of US Gulf of Mexico oil production — adding to the crude market's jittery week.
Emergency officials are urging residents in the storm's path to finish preparations, with landfall expected within days.
Originally reported by USA Today. Article compiled by the Deccan Age desk.