Hurricane Isaias Kills Four, Leaves 396,000 Without Power
Hurricane Isaias, the first U.S. hurricane landfall in two years, has killed at least four people and caused widespread damage across Florida and Alabama.
Hurricane Isaias has caused multiple fatalities and significant destruction across Florida and Alabama. The storm came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday near Destin, Florida, a Gulf coast vacation spot filled with high-rises and tourist shops. It is the first hurricane to make landfall in the continental U.S. in two years, since Hurricane Milton struck western Florida in October 2024.
In Florida’s Escambia County, Sheriff Chip Simmons said a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home. Simmons also reported that a man had died from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator in a garage that was not properly ventilated. Hurricane-force winds in the Florida Panhandle blew the roof off a Pensacola hotel and ripped away part of the facade of a high-rise in Panama City Beach. The city’s mayor said the airport 'took some damage' and the storm flattened a boathouse in Destin.
Isaias roared farther into Alabama with tropical-force winds. Cory Moon, the city’s fire chief, said, "One person died when a tree fell on a house in Birmingham." A second storm-related death in Alabama was attributed to a motor vehicle crash involving a downed tree in Barbour County, according to Josh Johnson of the state’s emergency management agency. Along Alabama’s Gulf coast, authorities in Mobile reported numerous downed trees and power lines.
Storm progression and weather threats
Isaias moved north on Sunday, weakening to a post-tropical cyclone after moving through Alabama. Heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts remained a threat across the southeastern U.S., especially near the southern Appalachians. Forecasters warned that flooding could stretch into the Appalachians and that parts of Georgia and the Carolinas could see heavy rain capable of causing flash floods.
Parts of the Carolinas and Virginia, including Raleigh, Richmond, and Washington DC, were under threat of tornadoes on Sunday. Isaias is expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday. The storm was expected to continue weakening but produce gusty winds well inland.
Power outages were extensive. Nearly 396,000 customers across the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama remained without power on Sunday. Earlier, more than 726,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday. Roads in Destin were flooded and police in Pensacola warned residents to stay off the streets due to debris. Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night due to dangerous conditions.
Regional effects and response
Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions were expected to continue along the Gulf and southeastern Atlantic coasts. Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Georgia after doing the same for Florida and Alabama. The US Energy Department authorized emergency exchanges of crude oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to address supply disruptions because of the storm.
In the Pacific, a separate storm system was active. Hurricane Simon strengthened to 155 mph, only just below the threshold for becoming a Category 5 storm, as it approached Mexico’s coast. It was expected to bring heavy rainfall beginning on Sunday to parts of southwestern Mexico with life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Rain could average 8-16 inches over sectors of southwestern Mexico, with as much as 30 inches possible in places.
| Location | Storm Name | Maximum Wind Speed | Primary Threat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern U.S. | Isaias | Category 2 at landfall | Flooding, tornadoes, wind damage |
| Southwestern Mexico | Simon | 155 mph (250 km/h) | Life-threatening flooding and mudslides |
| Northern Mexico / Southern California | Rachel | Tropical Storm strength | Heavy winds and rain |
Remnants from Simon led to a rescue in North Carolina, where a woman, a man, and their dog were rescued on the Catawba River after their camping trip was overflown by rising water. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rachel was expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning in parts of San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial counties.
Residents who rode out Hurricane Isaias described intense conditions. Tim Mowry, who was in his home in Pensacola, said the wind sounded like a train whistle as it whipped through a crack in his patio door. He lost power around 4:30 p.m. but relied on a generator. Isaias was expected to continue weakening but produce gusty winds well inland.
