Hurricane Isaias, the first Atlantic hurricane of the season, made landfall near Destin, Florida, in the Florida Panhandle at 8:30 p.m. local time Friday, with sustained winds up to 105 miles per hour. The storm weakened steadily overnight as it moved north over the western Panhandle, dropping from a major hurricane to a Category 1 and then, by 2 a.m. Eastern time Saturday, to a post-tropical cyclone, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Ahead of landfall, National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan had warned that Isaias would arrive as a dangerous hurricane, with hurricane warnings in effect across parts of the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents of storm surge risk along the full length of the Florida Panhandle and said tornadoes were possible ahead of the storm's eye making landfall. Forecasters also flagged the risk of isolated rainfall totals up to 15 inches in parts of northern Florida, raising the threat of flash flooding.
By Saturday morning, more than 800,000 customers were without power across three states, and local officials in communities such as Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, had urged visitors to leave ahead of the storm. Although storm surge and tropical storm alerts have since been discontinued as Isaias weakened, wind advisories remained in effect for much of the region into Sunday morning, with sustained winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour and gusts up to 50 miles per hour still possible.
Isaias arrives as communities along the Gulf Coast continue seasonal hurricane preparations, and utility crews from neighboring states have mobilized to help restore power. Local and state emergency officials are continuing damage assessments as the storm's remnants move inland.
Watch for updated damage assessments and power restoration timelines from Florida, Alabama and Mississippi utilities over the weekend.
Is Hurricane Isaias still a hurricane?
No, the National Hurricane Center downgraded it to a post-tropical cyclone early Saturday after it weakened following landfall.
Where did the storm make landfall?
It came ashore near Destin, Florida, in the Florida Panhandle, Friday evening.