TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 7, 2026—The Florida governor has issued a state of emergency ahead of the tropical system headed toward the northwest Florida Gulf coast.

Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to intensify into a category 2 or 3 hurricane before it makes landfall sometime this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties are included in the 25-county state of emergency declaration.

The order allows the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage preparedness resources such as generators, fuel, boxed water pallets, food, tarps and other emergency supplies.

As of the 4 a.m. tropical update, Tropical Depression Nine became Tropical Storm Isaias. The National Hurricane Center forecast is for Isaias to strengthen into a hurricane sometime tomorrow and intensify into a category 2 or 3 storm prior to landfall somewhere along the northern Gulf coast.

The forecast indicates the storm will be lopsided toward the east bringing hurricane impacts from the Florida panhandle through the north central areas.

Impacts include heavy rain, river and urban flooding, damaging winds and tornados, with storm surge, dangerous surf and beach erosion along the coasts.

Hurricane and storm surge watches are expected to be issued later today, according to the NHC.