Hurricane Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 storm near Destin, Florida, on Friday at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET, bringing winds of 105 mph and localized gusts reaching up to 116 mph. The storm resulted in four fatalities, with three deaths attributed to downed trees and one due to generator fumes. At least five individuals have been hospitalized due to storm-related injuries.
The storm caused extensive damage across the southeastern United States, leading to flooding in many neighborhoods and downed trees. As of 1 a.m. Friday, Isaias weakened to a post-tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The cyclone is currently moving into northern Alabama, where it is producing heavy rains and strong wind gusts. Flood watches remain in effect for parts of the southeastern U.S. and the southern Appalachians.
Forecasts indicate that Georgia and the Carolinas could receive up to 10 inches of rain, with expected totals of 3-6 inches. Officials have warned of potential life-threatening hazards, including flash, urban, and river flooding.
Over 670,000 people were reported without power across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina, according to PowerOutage. Alabama Power reported approximately 267,000 outages but restored service to about half of those customers later in the day.
In Escambia County, Florida, two fatalities were reported due to storm-related incidents. One woman was killed when a tree fell on her home, while two others died in Alabama when trees fell on a house and a car, as confirmed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey.
A sheriff’s deputy in Dale County, Alabama, sustained minor injuries when a tree fell on him while he was responding to a car accident. The deputy was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to stay off the roads during the storm, emphasizing the risk of flash flooding. Lt. Governor Jay Collins described the storm's impact as severe, stating, "This thing hit like a freight train. It was fast. It came in like a Mike Tyson punch."
AccuWeather meteorologist Dan DePodwin noted that while the worst impacts have passed, showers are expected to continue throughout the weekend, particularly in North Carolina and the Tennessee Valley, with potential tornadoes in some areas. DePodwin highlighted that the risk of flash flooding remains, especially in the Carolinas, as scattered storms are anticipated to bring additional rainfall.