Hurricane Isaias left at least four people dead and roughly 670,000 customers without electricity after slamming into the Florida Panhandle and sweeping across the southeastern United States, officials said.
The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, late on October 9 as a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds near 105 mph. It had earlier peaked as a major Category 3 system over the Gulf of Mexico before weakening as it moved inland. By Saturday, Isaias had been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone while tracking through Alabama and into Georgia and the Carolinas.
Power outages were widespread. Tracking data showed about 420,000 customers affected in Florida, 190,000 in Alabama, 43,000 in Georgia, and 17,000 in Mississippi at one point. Utility crews, including thousands of linemen staged in advance, began restoration work as soon as conditions allowed. Highways and some bridges reopened, and airports that had closed for the storm started resuming operations.
Authorities continued to warn of dangerous secondary effects even as the storm’s winds diminished. Heavy rainfall triggered flash-flooding threats, particularly near the Gulf Coast and in inland areas of the Southeast. Isolated tornadoes remained possible across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Storm surge of several feet had already caused coastal flooding in places such as Destin and Fort Walton Beach.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said damage assessments were under way and stressed that power restoration was a top priority. Local officials reported downed trees, power lines, and structural damage in the hardest-hit coastal counties. Rainfall totals exceeded 7–8 inches in some Panhandle locations, with higher amounts possible where rain bands trained over the same areas.
Isaias formed over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico in early October and became the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season. It was also the first U.S. landfalling hurricane in two years. Residents in affected areas were urged to avoid flooded roads, heed remaining weather alerts, and check on neighbors, especially those who rely on electricity for medical devices.
Emergency managers said recovery efforts would continue for days as power is restored and floodwaters recede. Further updates on casualties and damage estimates are expected as search-and-rescue and assessment teams complete their work.
