Tropical Storm Isaias upgraded, expected to hit Corn Belt
NOAA upgraded the Gulf system to Tropical Storm Isaias, with expectations it could strengthen to a Category 3–4 hurricane before moving into Mississippi and Alabama and then into the eastern Corn Belt, including Illinois and Indiana by Sunday morning.
0921 ET - What had been a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico has been upgraded by the NOAA to Tropical Storm Isaias--and it's expected to further strengthen into a Category 3 or 4 hurricane before making landfall through Mississippi and Alabama by early Saturday morning. The storm is then expected to travel toward the eastern Corn Belt, resting over Illinois and Indiana by Sunday morning. Isaias is expected to create damage in mature crop fields that haven't yet been harvested, "bringing strong winds that could lodge summer row crops that have endured stalk diseases," says AgResource in a note.
It's the first Gulf hurricane of the season, and AgResource says it's being "fueled by extremely warm waters" amidst this year's Super El Niño. com) (END) Dow Jones Newswires October 07, 2026 09:21 ET (13:21 GMT) Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. The statements in this document shall not be considered as an objective or independent explanation of the matters. Please note that this document (a) has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research, and (b) is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of the dissemination or publication of investment research.