Hurricane Isaias will push 40 mph wind gusts, up to 3 inches of rain and an isolated tornado threat into Fort Mill and Tega Cay on Saturday and Sunday.

The storm strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane on Thursday, Oct. 8, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, according to WBTV. The region was already preparing for heavy rain before the upgrade to Category 2. The stronger storm now carries additional hazards.

WBTV issued First Alert warnings for both Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, covering the Charlotte metro area that includes Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Lake Wylie.

What to expect

Wind gusts could reach 40 mph on Saturday, according to WBTV's forecast. WCCB Charlotte projected gusts up to 30 mph Saturday, with the strongest impacts arriving Saturday evening and overnight. Gusts at those levels can cause minor tree damage and sporadic power outages, WBTV reported in an earlier Oct. 8 forecast.

Rainfall totals could reach 3 inches by the end of the weekend. WBTV estimated up to 3 inches across the Charlotte region, while WCCB Charlotte's forecast called for 1 to 2 inches with 3 or more inches possible.

Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out. WBTV flagged the tornado risk for Saturday across the Charlotte region. WCCB Charlotte placed the isolated tornado threat on Sunday. WLOS reported the tornado threat is mainly south of Interstate 85, which runs through the Fort Mill area.

Landfall and track

Isaias was expected to make landfall along the northwest Florida coast Friday night into Saturday morning, according to WBTV. The National Hurricane Center's Advisory 9, issued Thursday afternoon, projected the storm would weaken to 75 mph as it moved inland over Alabama early Saturday and become post-tropical by Sunday.

"We are expecting Isaias to be a dangerous hurricane when it makes landfall," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Thursday, according to NPR.

The storm will not make a direct hit on the Carolinas. Its moisture spreading north from the Gulf Coast is the primary driver of the weekend forecast, according to WCCB Charlotte.

Record-setting season

Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. That makes it the latest first hurricane since the satellite era began in 1966, according to WCCB Charlotte. NPR attributed the unusually quiet season to a strong El Niño pattern disrupting storm formation over the Atlantic.

What comes next

A few lingering scattered showers are possible Monday, Oct. 12, with partly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 70s, according to WBTV. No statements from York County Emergency Management, the Fort Mill Police Department or the Tega Cay Police Department regarding storm preparedness were available as of Friday, Oct. 9. Residents can monitor conditions through the National Weather Service or York County emergency management channels.