25 Florida Counties Under State of Emergency as Tropical Storm Isaias Strengthens in Gulf

Tropical Storm Isaias formed in the Gulf Wednesday morning, and forecasters now expect it to strengthen rapidly as it moves toward the northern Gulf Coast. As of the latest advisory, Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, with the National Hurricane Center forecasting it to become a hurricane Thursday and potentially reach winds near 110 mph by Friday.

Florida Prepares as Isaias Strengthens

Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 25 Florida counties, primarily across the Panhandle and Big Bend, as the state prepares for possible heavy rain, damaging winds, coastal flooding and isolated tornadoes. Hurricane and storm surge watches have also been issued for portions of the northern Gulf Coast.

The latest forecast has Isaias strengthening quickly over very warm Gulf waters before approaching the coast late Friday or early Saturday. While the exact landfall location could still shift, current projections keep the greatest threat focused much farther north than Tampa Bay.

What This Means for St. Pete and Tampa Bay

St. Pete, Pinellas County and Hillsborough County are not currently included in Florida’s 25-county state of emergency, and Tampa Bay is outside the Hurricane Watch. The current track is focused on the Florida Panhandle and surrounding northern Gulf Coast, although forecasts can still change as Isaias moves north.

For Tampa Bay, this is a storm to keep an eye on rather than panic over. Isaias could become the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, and with strengthening expected to happen quickly, Florida will be watching the Gulf closely over the next couple of days.