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Florida declares emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Isaias hurricane threat
A hurricane watch from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Indian Pass, Florida signals hurricane conditions could arrive within 48 hours, raising risk for wind and storm surge claims.
Florida has declared a state of emergency across 25 counties in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions as Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to strengthen rapidly before striking the US Gulf Coast later this week, according to Insurance Business.
The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch covering the northern Gulf Coast from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Indian Pass in the Florida Panhandle, indicating hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours.
As of Wednesday morning, Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was about 540 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving east-northeast at 8 mph and expected to turn north as it crosses the Gulf.
Insurance Business said the storm could reach hurricane strength on Thursday, with conditions over the Gulf supporting rapid intensification, a scenario that can increase insurer exposure to wind, storm surge, and related damage.