As Hurricane Isaias barrels toward the Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3 storm, military officials are taking precautionary measures by relocating dozens of aircraft to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth to keep them out of harm’s way.
The storm intensified Friday packing sustained winds of 120 mph and was forecast to make landfall late Friday near the Alabama-Florida border. The National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening storm surges and dangerous wind conditions across the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama and southern Mississippi.
Category 3 hurricanes are classified as major storms capable of causing devastating structural damage and widespread destruction. Forecasters indicated Isaias could continue to gain strength before making landfall.
With Gulf Coast military installations squarely in the storm’s projected path, commanders opted to fly aircraft inland to the safety of the Fort Worth base. North Texas residents living near the installation can expect increased air traffic and elevated noise levels as the planes arrive and are secured on the ground.
The decision to use NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth as a staging area is a common military protocol during major hurricane threats. Moving aircraft well ahead of a storm’s arrival prevents costly damage and ensures the equipment remains operational for any post-storm relief or recovery missions that may be needed.
While North Texas is not expected to face any direct impacts from Isaias, the region is playing a meaningful support role in the broader emergency response effort taking shape along the Gulf Coast.