Tropical Storm Isaias has intensified into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season in the Gulf of Mexico. The US National Hurricane Center anticipates the hurricane will make landfall late Thursday or early Friday, though the exact location remains uncertain. The states at greatest risk are Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico are fueling the rapid strengthening of the hurricane, a surprising development given a previously quiet Atlantic hurricane season attributed to a strong El Niño effect. As of last night, the hurricane’s center was approximately 465 miles south of Mississippi, moving at 75 miles per hour, and is forecast to reach maximum sustained winds exceeding 90 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center has issued storm surge warnings for the Gulf Coast, particularly the southern portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, warning of a “life-threatening storm surge.” More than thirty million residents in these states are urged to heed local authorities’ advice and prepare for potential power outages and evacuations. Heavy rainfall and strong winds are also expected hundreds of miles inland.