Hurricane Isaias is expected to get stronger on its way to Florida, Alabama and Mississippi coasts

On Thursday, Isaias surged toward the U.S. Gulf Coast as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. The storm prompted mandatory evacuations and school closures in parts of Florida as it tracked along a path that includes the coasts of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Isaias is forecast to intensify rapidly. The storm threatens to bring strong winds and a life-threatening storm surge to the affected coastal regions.