Hurricane Isaias isn't just raising concerns as the storm bears down on the Gulf Coast. The storm, which became a major hurricane Friday morning, is causing difficulties in simply pronouncing the name.
After eight named storms formed in the Atlantic during hurricane season – with names from Arthur to Hanna – the next name on the list was Isaias, and it has become the Atlantic basin's first hurricane.
Since Isaias formed on Wednesday, those tracking the storm have found its name tough to pronounce. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis basically gave up, saying during an event on Oct. 8 that he would call the storm "Isaiah."
"I don't know how to pronounce this because it's not normal. So, you know, I'm calling it 'Isaiah.' You guys can call it what you want,"
DeSantis said. "I know that's not how you pronounce this. It's something else, but it's weird and I'm just going to keep butchering it for the next 72 hours and I'd rather just be that. I'm calling it Isaiah."
What to know about the name 'Isaias'
Like the name Isaiah, Isaias is also a derivation of the the Hebrew name Yeshayahu, which translates to "Yahweh is salvation." Isaias is primarily seen in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking cultures, according to Ancestry.com.
The World Meteorological Organization, which chooses the names for potential hurricanes, uses English, French and Spanish names "to reflect the geographical coverage of Atlantic and Caribbean storms," the WMO says.
How do you pronounce the name of the storm?
The name is properly pronounced as "ees-ah-EE-ahs," according to a pronunciation list from the WMO and National Hurricane Center. "Isaias" is not only hard to pronounce but all those vowels also make it difficult to spell, too.
Many news reporters and meteorologists have posted videos to help viewers learn the proper pronunciation. Here you can listen to a meteorologist pronounce "ees-ah-EE-ahs"),
"I've seen a lot of people struggle with the proper pronunciation of the new tropical storm that we have down in the gulf," said Durham, North Carolina, meteorologist Cruz Medina in a video posted Oct. 7 on the ABC11 at WTVD Facebook page. So he broke down how to say the storm's name, suggesting you pronounce it "ee-sah-EE-ahs," which differed slightly from the WMO suggestion, but seemed easier to understand.
In Birmingham, Alabama, WBRC TV anchor Jhas Williams broke the name down phonetically for viewers in a video posted on Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook.
The name has gained popularity, Williams-Ngongo said. "So if you're saying, 'I never heard that name,' yes, you have. And if you haven't, you will soon."
Hurricane Isaias, which strengthened and became a hurricane shortly before midnight on Oct. 7, is expected to make landfall on the evening of Friday, Oct. 9, in Florida or Alabama, potentially as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Life-threatening storm surge is expected along a portion of the northern Gulf Coast, along with damaging hurricane-force winds and heavy rain. Residents in southern Alabama, southern Mississippi and Florida's Panhandle were advised to prepare for the possibility of long-term power outages.
State of emergency in Florida
DeSantis, on Oct. 6, declared a state of emergency in 25 North Florida counties, from Escambia to Baker, and said Florida is preparing for a Category 3 hurricane even though some forecasts suggest wind shear could weaken the storm before landfall, USA TODAY previously reported.
As of 11 a.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 9, the center of Isaias was about 145 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph with higher gusts. The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center said that Isaias is expected to remain a major hurricane right until it hits land, with winds of at least 111 mph.
The weather body said "Isaias (is) expected to reach the western Florida Panhandle coast this evening. Life-threatening storm surge and devastating winds [are] likely along the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coasts."
DeSantis, on Oct. 9, said the state and the region are much better prepared for Hurricane Isaias than they were for Hurricane Sally in 2020, and that Florida and local officials have millions of resources staged to facilitate a quick and efficient response.
Speaking during a press conference in Pensacola, DeSantis said that because Isaias had formed in the Gulf, it was clear from the beginning there would be some form of impact to the Gulf Coast, allowing for a "multi-day mobilization" of personnel, equipment and supplies, Pensacola News Journal reported.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, Dinah Voyles Pulver, Jeanine Santucci, Gabe Hauari / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq and Mike Snider are trending news reporters for USA TODAY. You can reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can't pronounce Isaias? Neither can DeSantis
