Isaias, pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs according to the hurricane center, is expected to bring areas of heavy rain to portions of the Gulf Coast and much of the U.S. Southeast on Friday and into the weekend, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Isaias has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and looks likely to strengthen into the first Atlantic hurricane of this year.

For North Florida, the storm's latest forecast track places the Big Bend in an area of concern for potential impacts beginning Friday and continuing into the weekend.