Hurricane Isaias struck the Florida Panhandle on Friday as a Category 2 storm, tearing off roofs and facades from hotels and condominiums before moving northward. The hurricane caused two fatalities when falling trees struck homes in Florida and Alabama, and by midday nearly 700,000 customers across four states were without power.
Officials warned residents of the risk of flash floods and tornadoes as Isaias weakened to a post‑tropical cyclone while traversing Alabama. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged people to stay indoors and avoid roads, citing flooded streets in Destin and debris blocking roads in Pensacola. Emergency services in some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended operations due to hazardous conditions.
The National Weather Service said the storm would continue to weaken but still produce gusty winds and possible storm surges along the Florida Panhandle. Heavy rainfall—estimated at 4 to 8 inches—was forecast for southern Alabama, the Panhandle, Big Bend, and southwest Georgia through the weekend, with potential tornado activity extending into Georgia and the Carolinas.
Isaias also grounded most flights at Panhandle airports, including Destin‑Fort Walton Beach, and led President Donald Trump to cancel his planned attendance at the Saturday Georgia‑Alabama football game to avoid disrupting emergency efforts. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Simon intensified to Category 4 near Mexico and Tropical Storm Rachel was set to bring strong winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California.
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