Tropical threat brewing in Gulf could impact U.S. as a hurricane this weekend. See maps, possible path.

Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the Gulf and is expected to approach the U.S. northern Gulf Coast on Friday after becoming a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.Isaias would be the Atlantic Basin's first hurricane of the season and is its ninth named storm. El Niño continues to bring a more active season in the Pacific. The storm formed with less than two months remaining in the 2026 hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.Maps show possible pathTropical Storm Isaias, which grew from Tropical Depression Nine on Wednesday and is pronounced "ees-ah-EE-ahs," is expected to pass to the north of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday before approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast the following day, according to forecasters. It is expected to rapidly strengthen. "Hurricane watches will likely be required for a portion of the U.S. northern Gulf coast later today," the hurricane center said Wednesday.