Hurricane Isaias is strengthening in the Gulf, and Georgia could see gusty winds as the storm movesinland this weekend.
The National Weather Service in Atlanta says confidence is increasing that strong winds will be possible across north and central Georgia from Friday evening into early Sunday.
The latest National Hurricane Center advisory Thursday morning had Isaias with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and gusts to 85 mph over the Gulf. The hurricane is forecast to strengthen before reaching the northern Gulf Coast, then weaken as it moves inland.
But Georgians should not expect the same wind speeds that Isaias has over the Gulf.
Hurricane Isaias: How strong could winds get in Georgia?
"Impacts from Hurricane Isaias are expected from Friday evening into early Sunday," the NWSsays. "Threats include
strong, gusty winds, heavy rain causing flash and river flooding, and a few tornadoes are also possible."
AccuWeather's local Isaias trackersshow the forecast varies by location.
When will Georgia see the strongest winds from Hurricane Isaias?
The NWS expects the impacts from Isaias to begin Friday evening and continue into early Sunday.
Forecasters say a tightening pressure gradient across Georgia could produce a broad area of strong winds on the eastern side of the storm.
Friday itself is expected to remain relatively quiet for much of north and central Georgia, although the National Weather Service says breezy easterly winds could increase to 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph by Friday afternoon.
The stronger wind threat comes later Friday and into Saturday as Isaias moves northward.
WIND: Here is a look at the potential peak wind gusts as Hurricane Isaias move through Alabama tomorrow night and Saturday morning. 
— James Spann (@spann) October 8, 2026
The model is showing 10 meter wind gusts, for what is expected a little over 30 feet off the ground. But the surface wind gusts will be… pic.twitter.com/KLcDFNd2F8
Could there be damaging winds?
The NWS is warning of a potentially significant wind threat, especially in western Georgia. Wind shear is expected to be strongest from Albany to Columbus, says the Weather Channel, as the center of Hurricane Isaias is expected to pass through Alabama. Strong bands will rotate into Georgia, however, and strong wind will be felt in the northwest corner of the state.
The latest forecast discussion says an area of strong winds could become larger on the eastern side of Isaias. Forecasters are also watching the possibility of a localized burst of extreme winds associated with the storm's transition inland.
For now, however, the official forecast for north and central Georgia calls for sustained winds generally in the 15 to 25 mph range, with gusts of 45 to 55 mph Friday night and Saturday morning.
West Central Georgia could see gusts as high as 63 mph, while South Georgia will see 36 to 59 mph gusts.
Hurricane Isaias is still changing
The National Hurricane Center's Thursday morning advisory had Isaias moving east-northeast at about 9 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
The forecast calls for the hurricane to strengthen before reaching the northern Gulf Coast, then weaken after moving inland.
Because small changes in the storm's track can change the wind forecast for Georgia, residents should continue checking the latest forecast through the weekend.
Spaghetti models
Georgia radar
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hurricane Isaias: How strong will wind be in Georgia?
