Hurricane Isaias is expected to get stronger on its way to Florida, Alabama and Mississippi coasts

What happened: Hurricane Isaias, the Atlantic season's first hurricane, surged toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations and school closures in parts of Florida ahead of an expected landfall late Friday or early Saturday. Key numbers: Maximum sustained winds around 80 mph, moving east-northeast at 9 mph. Why it matters: The production cuts are steep enough to affect markets with oil prices already high, though other Gulf hurricanes caused larger disruptions. Analysts said the bigger concern is whether Isaias strikes near refineries as a powerful storm. Coverage: 4 outlets in 24h

Hurricane Isaias, the Atlantic season's first hurricane, surged toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations and school closures in parts of Florida ahead of an expected landfall late Friday or early Saturday.

The production cuts are steep enough to affect markets with oil prices already high, though other Gulf hurricanes caused larger disruptions. Analysts said the bigger concern is whether Isaias strikes near refineries as a powerful storm.