Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Port St. Joe, FL

SHORT TERM
(This Evening through Friday)
Issued at 404 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

Use this time to finish preparations. Generally dry conditions will persist tonight, with some shower activity lingering over our Southeastern big bend counties.

Hurricane Isaias, now at 85 mph, continues to strengthen and may approach major hurricane status within the next 24 hours. Currently it is pushing ENE through the gulf at 10 mph. An eventual turn northward is expected early Friday, with impacts beginning to be felt in our forecast area as early as that morning. The system is expected to be sheared and lopsided at landfall, with many of the potential impacts still felt well east of the path center. Many of the watches and warnings have been expanded in response.

LONG TERM
(Friday night through next Wednesday)
Issued at 404 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

Isaias will have a significant impact on the local area beginning on Friday. Wind will start off elevated in the morning, with rain potential increasing by midday. This increase will continue Friday night into Saturday, with improving conditions late Saturday into Sunday. Dry weather is expected starting Monday through the middle of next week, which will be favorable for cleanup efforts.

1) Flooding rain: Soggy conditions across the region from recent rainfall will make the area more sensitive to flooding from additional heavy rainfall from Isaias. Forecast rainfall totals have been increasing from run to run, thus a Flood Watch has been issued for the majority of our forecast area. The current track and model guidance also supports a training N/S oriented band setting up somewhere over the forecast area. This has the potential for adding a significant amount of rainfall to the forecast. Currently 5-10 inches are expected, with isolated amounts to 15 a possibility.
Considerable Flash Flooding and River Flooding will both be concerns as a result.

2) Damaging winds: The wind field with Isaias will expand as it nears the coast, and already wet soils from previous rain, combined with additional rainfall totals, will allow for more trees to come down with slightly lower wind speeds than typical. Thus, significant impacts from tree and power line damage are expected within the tropical storm and hurricane warning areas.

3) Tornadoes: Several tornadoes are expected across the area with the feeder bands as they move ashore, mainly from late Friday into Saturday.

4) Storm Surge: Inundation values of 5 to 7 feet above ground level (AGL) are possible across the coastal Panhandle to Indian Pass, 4 to 6 feet AGL from Indian Pass to Steinhatchee, and 3 to 5 feet AGL from Steinhatchee to the Suwannee river.

AVIATION
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 135 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

Currently VFR conditions with intermittent low and mid level clouds. Conditions will deteriorate throughout the forecast period as Isaias continues to encroach on the area. Conditions tomorrow are expected to be MVFR/IFR with rain and gusty winds increasing as the day progresses.

MARINE
Issued at 404 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

Isaias will bring significant impacts to the area with tropical storm and hurricane conditions ramping up on Friday into Saturday.
The hurricane will rapidly exit the area on Saturday, and conditions will start to improve on Sunday and especially Monday.

FIRE WEATHER
Issued at 404 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

There are no major fire weather concerns with Isaias approaching and plenty of rain on the way.

HYDROLOGY
Issued at 404 PM EDT Thu Oct 8 2026

Isaias is expected to move across the northern Gulf Coast late this week into the weekend, bringing 5 to 10 inches of rainfall to the area with isolated amounts near 15 inches possible. Considerable flash flooding is expected in localized areas where training feeder bands set up. Elsewhere, isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding are expected, especially given saturated conditions from recent heavy rainfall. River flooding is also possible, especially on the smaller creeks and streams.

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT

Spotter activation is not requested. However, spotters are always encouraged to safely report significant weather conditions when they occur by calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
Tallahassee 69 76 70 80 / 30 90 80 100 Panama City 69 77 70 82 / 30 100 100 80 Dothan 66 74 64 79 / 0 90 100 90 Albany 67 75 65 78 / 10 80 90 100 Valdosta 69 77 69 83 / 20 80 90 90 Cross City 69 81 72 86 / 80 80 70 80 Apalachicola 71 79 74 82 / 70 100 90 90

TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
FL...Tropical Storm Warning for FLZ007>017-027-114-115-118-127-326- 426.

Flood Watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening for FLZ007>018-027-108-112-114-115-118-127-326-426.

Hurricane Watch for FLZ007-008.

Tropical Storm Watch for FLZ018.

High Rip Current Risk through late Sunday night for FLZ108-112- 114-115.

Hurricane Warning for FLZ108-112.

Storm Surge Warning for FLZ108-112-114-115-118-127-128-134.

High Surf Warning from 10 AM Friday to 10 AM CDT Sunday for FLZ108-112.

High Surf Advisory from 11 AM EDT /10 AM CDT/ Friday to 11 AM EDT /10 AM CDT/ Sunday for FLZ114-115.

GA...Tropical Storm Warning for GAZ121-142-143-155-156.

Flood Watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening for GAZ120>127-142>146-155>158.

Tropical Storm Watch for GAZ120-122>127-144>146-157-158.

AL...Tropical Storm Warning for ALZ065>069.

Flood Watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening for ALZ065>069.

GM...Tropical Storm Warning for GMZ730-752-755-765-775.

Hurricane Warning for GMZ735-751-770-772.