Tropical Storm Isaias could become hurricane as Gulf Coast braces; Tampa Bay sees rainy week from stalled cold front

A tropical storm designated Isaias formed off eastern Mexico with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving east‑northeast at 8 mph. The National Hurricane Center expects the system to intensify into the season’s first hurricane before making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast later this week, though the exact landing point remains unknown. At the same time, a cold front settled over Florida, bringing overcast skies, high humidity and scattered thunderstorms that are expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of rain in Tampa Bay through Thursday, with a marginal risk of excessive rainfall.

Forecasters are also monitoring a loosely organized low near Mexico, assigning a 60 percent chance it could become a tropical depression within two days and an 80 percent chance within a week, and projecting it to move eastward before turning north. Residents along the Gulf Coast and in Tampa Bay are being urged to prepare for strong winds, storm surge, flooding and prolonged rain.