Isaias intensified into a hurricane late Thursday as it churned toward the Bahamas and the U.S. East Coast, becoming the ninth named storm of the 2020 Atlantic season to reach hurricane strength, the National Hurricane Center reported. The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 80 mph as it moved northwest at 17 mph, with hurricane warnings issued for the central and southeastern Bahamas.
The hurricane center projected Isaias would pass near or over the Bahamas on Friday before tracking toward Florida's east coast over the weekend. Forecasters warned of dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall and life-threatening surf along coastal areas from the Carolinas to Florida. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for several coastal counties as officials urged residents to prepare for potential evacuations.
Isaias formed as a tropical storm earlier in the week and rapidly organized as it crossed warm Atlantic waters. The storm is the earliest ninth named storm on record in the Atlantic basin, surpassing the previous mark set in 2005, according to hurricane center records. Scientists have noted that warmer ocean temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions have fueled an unusually active start to the 2020 season.
Meanwhile, a federal judge ordered Texas prison officials to preserve all evidence related to the execution of Billy Joe Pike, who was put to death Wednesday evening despite questions raised by his attorneys about the lethal injection process. U.S. District Judge David Hittner issued the order Thursday, directing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to retain all records, including execution logs, medical records and the syringe used in the procedure.
Pike, 54, was convicted of capital murder in the 2004 killing of a convenience store clerk in Waco. His execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute stay request. Witnesses reported that Pike appeared to gasp and convulse for several minutes after the lethal dose was administered, prompting his attorneys to call for an independent investigation into whether the drugs used were properly compounded.
The judge's preservation order came in response to a motion filed by Pike's legal team, which argued that evidence could be destroyed before they could pursue a civil rights claim. Texas officials have previously faced scrutiny over the source of execution drugs, as pharmaceutical companies have increasingly refused to supply chemicals for lethal injections.
Both developments unfolded as the nation continued to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, which has strained emergency resources in coastal states preparing for the hurricane. Officials in Florida said they would adjust evacuation procedures to account for social distancing requirements, including using hotels instead of large shelters for displaced residents.
