Storms · 6 min read
Hurricane Isaias: The Latest First Atlantic Hurricane in 121 Years
It took until October 8 for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season to produce its first hurricane: Isaias, in the Gulf of Mexico. That hasn't happened this late in 121 years. Isaias then strengthened quickly into a major hurricane heading for the northern Gulf Coast. Here's what makes this season so unusual, and what El Niño has to do with it.
Satellite image of Isaias on October 9, 2026, 09:00 UTC: NOAA GOES-19, Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
- Record: Isaias became a hurricane on October 8. Only in 1905 did the first Atlantic hurricane arrive as late.
- Satellite era: since 1966 no first hurricane formed this late; the previous record was September 11.
- Strength: a Category 3 hurricane on Friday, October 9, with maximum sustained winds of about 120 mph (195 km/h).
- Cause: the strong El Niño raises wind shear over the Atlantic, which keeps storms from becoming hurricanes.
- Season: the Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30.
In this article
What is Hurricane Isaias?Why is this a record?Why was the season so quiet? El NiñoWhy did Isaias still become so strong?Is hurricane season over?Frequently asked questionsWhat is Hurricane Isaias?
Isaias formed on October 6 as a tropical depression in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. A day later it became a tropical storm and was named Isaias, the ninth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season. Hurricane hunter aircraft found hurricane-force winds early on October 8 (UTC), and the storm kept strengthening: by Friday morning, October 9, Isaias was a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 120 mph (195 km/h).
The National Hurricane Center expected landfall late Friday or early Saturday between Mississippi, Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. A storm surge warning was in effect along the coast, and forecasters expected 4 to 8 inches (100 to 200 mm) of rain along the coast from southern Alabama to the Florida Panhandle, with isolated totals up to 15 inches (about 380 mm). This article reflects the situation on Friday, October 9; follow the National Hurricane Center and your local officials for the latest advisories.
Why is this a record?
In a typical year, the first Atlantic hurricane forms sometime in August. This year, eight named storms came and went without reaching hurricane strength: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo and Hanna. Isaias was the first to do it, on October 8. That is the latest date for a season's first hurricane in 121 years: only in 1905 did the first hurricane come as late, also on October 8.
Since 1966, when weather satellites began watching the oceans continuously, no season has waited this long. The previous satellite-era record was September 11. Older records are less certain, because a hurricane that stayed far out at sea could go unnoticed back then.
Why was the season so quiet? El Niño
The main reason is the strong El Niño in the Pacific Ocean. El Niño changes the winds high in the atmosphere, including over the Atlantic, where it increases wind shear: the difference in wind speed and direction between the lower and upper levels of the atmosphere. Strong wind shear tilts a developing storm and tears it apart before it can organize into a hurricane. Forecasters saw this coming: in May, NOAA predicted a below-normal Atlantic season.
In the eastern Pacific, El Niño works the other way, bringing warm water and low wind shear, exactly what hurricanes need. That is why the Pacific has seen powerful storms this year while the Atlantic stayed quiet.
Why did Isaias still become so strong?
Even in a quiet season, a single storm can become a major hurricane if conditions line up locally. After the summer, the water in the Gulf of Mexico is still very warm, and warm water is the fuel for a hurricane. When wind shear eases there, even briefly, a storm can strengthen very quickly, which forecasters call rapid intensification.
That is what makes late-season Gulf hurricanes dangerous: they can intensify close to the coast, leaving little time to prepare. Hurricane strength is measured on the Saffir-Simpson scale, from Category 1 (74 mph, 119 km/h) to Category 5 (157 mph, 252 km/h). Category 3 and above counts as a major hurricane. Remember that storm surge and flooding rain often cause more damage than the wind itself; read more in our guide to color-coded weather warnings.
Is hurricane season over?
No. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, and hurricanes still form in October and November, especially in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. How many more storms this season will bring is impossible to say, but El Niño will keep raising wind shear over the Atlantic for the rest of the season, which keeps the odds of new hurricanes low.
If the name sounds familiar, it is: Atlantic storms are named from six lists maintained by the World Meteorological Organization, which rotate every six years. The 2026 list is the same as the 2020 list, which also had a Hurricane Isaias. Names of particularly deadly or destructive storms are retired from the list.
Frequently asked questions
When did Isaias become a hurricane?
Early on October 8, 2026 (UTC). That made Isaias the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season and the latest first hurricane in 121 years.
Why were there so few Atlantic hurricanes this year?
Because of the strong El Niño in the Pacific. It increases wind shear over the Atlantic, which makes it hard for storms to strengthen into hurricanes.
How strong is Hurricane Isaias?
On Friday, October 9, 2026, Isaias was a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of about 120 mph (195 km/h). Check the National Hurricane Center for the latest advisory.
When does hurricane season end?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Hurricanes can still form in October and November, especially in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Check the weather in Miami or search another place on the locations page.