Hundreds of thousands without power after Isaias slams Florida Panhandle and Alabama

Hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are without power after Isaias crashed into the US Gulf Coast as a dangerous hurricane and left flooded roads and downed trees in its wake as it moved inland.

Forecasters also warned that conditions could stir up tornadoes across parts of the Florida Panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolinas.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, as the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane-force winds lashed the Gulf shoreline in the low-lying coastal area known for powdery white-sand beaches dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.

Roads in Destin were flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay off the streets because of debris across roadways.

Some Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response Friday night because of dangerous conditions. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Parts of southern Alabama also were flooded, with officials in Mobile reporting downed trees and power lines. Roads in Houston County, which is in the southeastern corner of the state, were closed because of similar conditions.

More than 726,000 customers in Florida and Alabama were without power early Saturday, according to poweroutage.com.

Isaias made landfall Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, then quickly moved north through Alabama as its wind speeds dropped sharply. Despite weakening, heavy rain is forecast as Isaias moves inland, with 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) or even more expected through the weekend from southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia.

Isaias, the first hurricane to hit the eastern US since Milton tore up the Gulf Coast of Florida in 2024, is also expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to much of the Southeast over the weekend, then to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.

The storm also grounded most Friday flights at several panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.

Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Simon strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane as it approached Mexico’s coast. Tropical Storm Rachel is also expected to bring heavy winds and rain to northern Mexico and Southern California over the weekend.