Hurricane Isaias struck the US Gulf Coast before weakening into a post-tropical storm as it moved over southern Alabama. The storm, which made landfall near Destin, Florida, brought flooding, strong winds, and widespread power outages across parts of Florida and Alabama.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Isaias was located about 89km south-southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometres per hour (65 miles per hour) after landfall. At the time it hit near Destin, Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 169km/h (105mph), marking it as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.
Impact on Florida and Alabama communities
Flooding was reported in Destin, where roads were submerged, and in Pensacola, police warned residents to avoid streets due to debris. Social media posts showed downed trees, power lines, and a roof being torn off an inn in Pensacola. Some counties in the Florida Panhandle temporarily suspended emergency response efforts on Friday night because of hazardous conditions.
Southern Alabama also experienced flooding, with officials in Mobile reporting downed trees and power lines. Roads in Houston County, located in the southeastern corner of the state, were closed due to similar conditions. More than 664,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday, according to poweroutage.com.
Emergency response and storm surge concerns
Authorities expressed concern over a storm surge expected to reach between 0.91 and 1.52 metres (3 to 5 feet) from Dauphin Island, Alabama, to Florida’s Aucilla River. The storm caused most flights on Friday to be grounded at several airports, including all flights at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.
Florida’s National Guard deployed approximately 5,000 soldiers and airmen to assist with response efforts, including search-and-rescue teams. Some prisons also evacuated inmates as a precaution. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that emergency declarations had been approved in Florida and Alabama to ensure federal resources were available. Residents were urged to take shelter and remain vigilant for hurricane conditions.
Other tropical storms in the region
In addition to Isaias, Tropical Storm Rachel was forecast to bring strong winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend. Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 225km/h (140mph) as it approached Mexico’s coast. Simon is expected to cause heavy rainfall and potentially life-threatening flooding and mudslides in southwestern Mexico, particularly along the coast of Jalisco and parts of Michoacan, Colima, and Nayarit.
