Isaias, pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs according to the hurricane center, is expected to bring areas of heavy rain to portions of the Gulf Coast and much of the U.S. Southeast on Friday and into the weekend, forecasters said.

Hurricane Isaias is expected to develop into a Category 2 storm before making a Gulf Coast landfall later this week.

Residents from Alabama to the Florida Panhandle also should prepare for the possibility of long-term power outages.