Declaring a state of emergency in Florida and Alabama as Hurricane Isaias approaches

(CNN) - A state of emergency has been declared in parts of the American states of Alabama and Florida, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urges residents to prepare; Mandatory evacuation orders were also issued in two counties in the Panhandle region of Florida.

The strong winds accompanying Hurricane Isaias are expected to raise the water levels of the Gulf of Mexico and push them towards the coast, which will lead to a significant rise in water levels, in what is known as the phenomenon of sea level rise resulting from the storm.

Coastal flooding will begin Friday morning, but the peak of the dangerous and life-threatening sea level rise will be near and just east of the center of the storm, where it will make landfall Friday night.

Coastal areas from eastern Mississippi to Alabama, including Mobile Bay and western Florida, could see water levels rise 1.5 to 2.1 meters above normally dry ground level if sea level rise coincides with high tides. This may lead to flooding of roads and damage to facilities near the coast.

Rainfall of between 7.5 and 18 cm is expected during the storm, with the possibility of up to 25 cm in some areas, from extreme southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. The amount of rain may reach 12.5 cm in other areas of the southeastern United States, reaching North and South Carolina and the Tennessee Valley, until Saturday.

The storm will move quickly, which will contribute to limiting the spread of floods, but significant impacts are likely in limited areas. Isayas' heaviest rain will hit southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle, increasing the risk of flash flooding there.