How much rain could NC get from Hurricane Isaias? The latest forecast
Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall along the northern Gulf coast late Friday and bring drenching rain to most of North Carolina.
Read more Faith Hedgepeth murder: Witness recalls blood on roommate’s finger
Isaias formed in the Gulf this week, continuously strengthening to a Category 1 Hurricane and expected to make landfall this weekend, according to a Thursday, Oct. 8 morning advisory from the National Hurricane Center.
“Additional strengthening is expected through early Friday, and Isaias should remain a dangerous hurricane as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast Friday night,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Peak storm surge is forecasted to be 5-7 feet from Ocean Springs, Miss., to Indian Pass, Fla., including Mobile, Ala. Maximum sustained winds have near 80 miles per hour with even higher gusts, and tropical-storm-force winds licking out 90 miles from the storm.
The National Weather Service called Isaias a “life-threatening situation” for people in those areas, advising them to take necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and dangerous conditions.
The storm is forecasted to have “short-term rapid intensification” over the next 24-48 hours in the warm Gulf waters, said Chrissy Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Raleigh office.
“It will encounter some wind shear near the coast right before landfall,” she said. “So it could cause some weakening right before landfall. “
Yes, while the hurricane is forecasted to the west of North Carolina, it will bring inches up rain to most of the state.
The storm could produce 3-7 inches of rain with some areas of the central U.S. Gulf Coast getting up to 10 inches of rain.
“Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches, with localized amounts up to 5 inches, are possible across much of the Southeast as far north as the Tennessee Valley and the Carolinas,” according to the National Hurricane Center. “Flash and urban flooding, along with isolated river flooding, will be possible.”
A map of potential rainfall in North Carolina shows most of the state getting up to 2 inches with some areas getting up to 4, according to the National Weather Service.
Read more Without greenhouse gas limits, Duke Energy claims it will save $10 billion
The Weather Prediction Center is forecasting a marginal (or 5%) change of flash flooding in central North Carolina and the mountains, Charlotte area and eastern North Carolina with a slight (or 15%) chance of flash flooding on Saturday.
Many North Carolina meteorologists warned this storm would not be the next Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of homes and dismantled mountain communities, despite Isaias’ proximity to the Blue Ridge mountains.
“I’ve already seen clickbait from people saying this is the next Helene. That is not true,” said Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker, chief meteorologist for ABC11 in a Tuesday social media video. “If it does look like it’s going to become a terrible situation, we will let you know about it, but this far out, it’s just people speculating and trying to get your clicks instead of giving you the truth.”
The sentiment was shared in Charlotte.
“It is completely understandable to feel anxious anytime a tropical system approaches our area, but this is not remotely close to the setup we saw with Helene,” said Brad Panovich, chief meteorologist for WCNC-TV, on a Wednesday social media post. “Helene involved a catastrophic pre-storm tropical moisture funnel colliding with an extreme stalled front, dumping unprecedented double-digit rainfall totals. This upcoming event is fundamentally different: a standard, beneficial soaking rain for most areas, not an apocalyptic setup.”
Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and there have been nine named storms but none have reached hurricane strength.
You pronounce Isaias like “ees-ah-EE-ahs,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.
These storms are categorized based on wind speed, which helps predict potential property damage, The News & Observer previously reported. Danger from other hazards like flooding, storm surges and tornadoes are not factored into the storm’s categorization.
According to the National Hurricane Center, storms are classified as:
The World Meteorological Organization released the list of names to use in the 2026 Atlantic tropical cyclone season. The names are:
Portions of this story were previously published in The News & Observer. This story has been updated.
This story was originally published October 8, 2026 at 10:42 AM with the headline “How much rain could NC get from Hurricane Isaias? The latest forecast.”
Read more NC announces first flu death of 2026 season. Here’s when to get a flu shot
