Hurricanes close Gulf airports and threaten Mexico resorts

Weekend travel across the Gulf Coast is being disrupted as Hurricane Isaias heads toward the Alabama-Florida line, with landfall anticipated late Friday or early Saturday. Pensacola International has stopped commercial service, while Destin Fort Walton Beach is closed to passengers. Gulfport Biloxi International and Mobile Regional have extensive cancellations, and New Orleans is seeing delays and canceled flights.

Coastal communities face both water and wind hazards. Surge alerts cover territory between the Mississippi River’s mouth and the Suwannee River, while regional rainfall could total four to eight inches. Evacuation requirements include Pensacola Beach, Florida’s Perdido Key, plus Gulf Shores and Dauphin Island in Alabama. With aircraft and crews displaced, disruption could spread through connecting airports in Atlanta, Houston and Dallas, affecting trips far beyond the storm zone.

On Mexico’s Pacific side, Hurricane Simon is strengthening near the west-central coast and may become a Category 4 storm before nearing land Saturday. Warnings span the shoreline between Manzanillo and Punta Mita, including the Puerto Vallarta area and parts of Jalisco, Nayarit and Colima. Heavy rain creates a risk of flash flooding, landslides and blocked coastal roads. Jalisco authorities have directed hotels and resorts to move guests and workers into designated protected spaces by Friday afternoon.