Hurricane Isaias strengthens to Category 3 as Gulf Coast braces for landfall

Millions of people along the Gulf Coast are preparing for Hurricane Isaias, which strengthened into a Category 3 storm Friday morning ahead of its expected landfall. Residents across the Florida Panhandle and coastal Alabama are stocking up on supplies, boarding up buildings and filling sandbags as the storm approaches. Landfall is expected near Pensacola late Friday night or early Saturday morning. At gas stations, long lines of cars have formed as drivers fill their tanks, while grocery stores are seeing empty shelves. "Hopefully we won't run out of power," Mobile, Alabama, resident Damien Gamble said. "But if we do, then hopefully I'll be ready for it." Thousands of people have evacuated, and states of emergency have been declared in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. "The resources have been flowing ... and we are taking this storm very, very seriously," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said. Alabama resident Richard Weekley said he's taking steps to protect his home. "Covering up all the windows and doors to my house, getting ready for the hurricane," he said. According to the report, Isaias would be the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States in exactly two years. Meanwhile, Southern California is preparing for impacts from Tropical Storm Rachel, which has weakened from a hurricane. READ MORE: https://13wham.com/search?find=isaias _______________ Stay up to date with our social media: 13 WHAM on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/13WHAM 13 WHAM on Twitter: https://twitter.com/13WHAM 13WHAM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/13whamtv/?hl=en 13WHAM on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@13wham?lang=en 13 WHAM Daily Local News Digest: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuTJB6tta5ar3Fu5CumAvlvVunEP6bc9A For more information, visit https://13wham.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: news@13wham.com Call the Newsroom: (585) 334-8700 WHAM is a NY based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Deerfield Media, Inc and receives certain services from an affiliation of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. #13WHAM #News #Rochester #NewYork