Hurricane Isaias made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast on Friday as a Category 2 storm, impacting communities across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama with strong winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. The storm struck near Destin, Florida, bringing hurricane-force winds to the region before rapidly weakening as it moved inland.
At its peak upon landfall, Isaias had maximum sustained winds near 105 mph, just below major hurricane strength. By early Saturday, the National Hurricane Center reported that wind speeds had diminished significantly, placing the storm about 25 miles south-southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, with sustained winds of 35 mph. Despite the weakening winds, forecasters warned residents to remain vigilant as heavy rain and life-threatening storm surges continued to pose risks, particularly along the Florida Panhandle.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to stay off the roads and prepare for potential flash flooding throughout the area. Authorities highlighted the possibility of tornadoes developing across parts of the Florida Panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolinas as the storm progressed.
The effects of Isaias were widespread. Coastal communities known for their white-sand beaches, vacation homes, and waterfront businesses experienced significant impacts. Flooded streets were reported in Destin, while Pensacola saw downed trees and debris blocking roadways. Some counties in the Panhandle temporarily suspended emergency responses due to hazardous conditions. Southern Alabama also suffered from flooding and power outages, with Mobile officials noting fallen trees and electrical lines.
Power outages affected over 726,000 customers in Florida and Alabama as of early Saturday, according to outage tracking services. In Pensacola, residents like Tim Mowry described intense winds that sounded like a train whistle and caused damage to property and fencing, though he noted the storm was less severe than anticipated. Many flights at Panhandle airports were canceled or halted on Friday, including at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.
As Isaias moved further inland, heavy rainfall was forecast to continue across southern Alabama, Florida’s Big Bend region, southwest Georgia, and beyond into the Midwest and Northeast over the weekend and into Monday. The ongoing rain raised concerns about additional flooding after the initial storm surge and wind damage.
In the wider storm activity context, the Pacific basin also saw increasing hurricane activity, with Simon strengthening into a Category 4 storm approaching Mexico’s coast, and Tropical Storm Rachel projected to bring heavy winds and rainfall to northern Mexico and Southern California.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump canceled plans to attend a college football game in Alabama, citing the importance of not disrupting emergency response efforts amid the storm.