A.I. Hurricane Models Were Front and Center
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Isaias is now a hurricane, it’s getting stronger, and it’s headed for the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center said Isaias had 80 mph winds on Thursday morning after becoming a hurricane overnight in the southern Gulf.
Hurricane Simon was headed toward part of Mexico’s Pacific coast Friday and forecast to get much stronger. U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for parts of the central and southwest coast, where hurricane-force winds were expected within 36 hours.
When AI arrived, it sped up decades of slow improvement in hurricane forecasting. Now scientists wonder what's next.
Article first published: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, 5 a.m. ET
Strong winds, large waves and storm surge are possible in Orange and San Diego counties, with heavy rain and flash flooding possible in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
Hurricane Isaias is heading toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. It could become the first hurricane to hit the United States since Milton in 2024.
The director, Michael Brennan, oversees 45 federal workers, including hurricane specialists and meteorologists.
Hurricane Isaias developed late Wednesday as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026. Its development this late in the year tied a historical record.
Isaias is expected to meander east in the Gulf before taking a northeasterly turn and will likely rapidly intensify, according to the NHC. The storm is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning as a hurricane with winds of 105 mph.