Gulf of Mexico (western)

How Hurricane Isaias broke through to become the first Atlantic hurricane in an extremely quiet 2026 season

<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/765357/original/file-20261010-50-mnsr8a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&rect=276%2C0%2C1853%2C1235&q=45&auto=format&w=1050&h=700&fit=crop" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Hurricane Isaias just after making landfall near Destin, Fla., on Oct. 9, 2026.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes/floater.php?stormid=AL092026#homePageLink">NOAA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Hurricane Isaias shattered the peace of one of the quietest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record as it grew into <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/080328.shtml?cone">2026’s first Atlantic hurricane</a> and <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/al09/al092026.update.10100129.shtml">made landfall on the northern Gulf Coast</a> near Destin, Fla., late on Oct. 9.</p> <p>The Category 2 hurricane’s <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2026/al09/al092026.upda