Hurricane Isaias Becomes First Atlantic Hurricane of 2026
Hurricane Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026. It is going to hit the United States on Friday with heavy rain and strong winds. People are preparing for floods and power outages. Meanwhile, a severe hailstorm caused major damage in Zimbabwe, and a rare tornado hit a town in Australia.
A big storm named Isaias became the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season. It has wind speeds of 80 miles per hour. The storm has a minimum pressure of 975 millibars. It is going to become a stronger category 2 hurricane soon. It will approach the northern Gulf coast of the United States on Friday.
This hurricane season was very quiet because of a strong El Niño. A first hurricane did not form this late since October 8, 1905. That was before satellites tracked storms.
Isaias will make landfall on Friday evening. It is going to bring 75 to 150 millimeters of rain to the Gulf coast. Some places will get 250 millimeters of rain. This can cause flash floods and river floods. The storm will also bring dangerous winds to the Florida panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. People are preparing for long power outages. They are putting plywood on their homes and getting sandbags.
Other parts of the world had bad weather too. In Zimbabwe, a severe hailstorm caused a lot of damage in Masvingo province on Tuesday. The government declared a state of disaster there. The storm took the roofs off 8,500 homes. Also, 15,300 people had broken windows. The rainy season is starting now, so people are in danger. The storm also damaged the power and sewer systems.
In Australia, a rare tornado hit the town of Ulladulla on October 3. This town is about 140 miles south of Sydney. Australia usually has only about 50 tornadoes every year. This tornado damaged houses and knocked down trees.
Take a position. Out loud, if you can.
Four ways to start. Pick one and try saying it before you scroll on.
Tip · Record yourself, use in a notebook, or practice with a language partner.
Why was the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season very quiet?
Future with 'going to'
We use 'be going to' + verb to talk about future plans or predictions based on current evidence.
“It is going to become a stronger category 2 hurricane soon.”
What to know · A2
Try saying this aloud
Scenario: You are explaining why you need to buy supplies at the store before bad weather.
- 01“It is going to bring a lot of rain.”
- 02“We are preparing for power outages.”
- 03“We need to get sandbags.”
Register tip · informal
🔑Key Phrases
Refers to the initial hurricane that developed in the Atlantic Ocean during the 2026 storm period.
Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season.
Refers to the historical period before the 1960s when modern technology was not available to watch storms.
In 1905, storms occurred before satellites tracked storms.
An official government announcement that a region has suffered severe damage and needs special help.
The president declared a state of disaster after the flood.
Article Audio — Kokoro TTS
Hurricane Isaias Becomes First Atlantic Hurricane of 2026
💬Discussion Questions
Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.
- 1
How does extreme weather affect daily life in your city?
Personal - 2
Why do you think some weather events are called natural disasters?
Evaluate - 3
How are hurricanes different from tornadoes?
Compare - 4
What should governments do to help people before a big storm?
Opinion - 5
If you had to evacuate your home, what three things would you take?
Personal - 6
Do you think weather forecasts are always accurate?
Opinion - 7
How do you think satellite technology changed how we see storms?
Compare - 8
What will happen if a city's sewer system is damaged during a storm?
Predict
News sourced from: The Guardian Environment →. LectoPress rewrites the facts as original graded-reader text for language learners.
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