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Hurricane Isaias Strikes Florida Panhandle as Category 2, Then Quickly Weakens

National Guard deployments are beginning damage surveys to guide power restoration across the Gulf Coast

Overview

  • Isaias made landfall near Destin late Friday as a Category 2 storm with roughly 105 mph sustained winds and produced life‑threatening storm surge and hurricane‑force gusts along the northern Gulf Coast.
  • The system weakened rapidly to a post‑tropical/tropical‑storm state as it moved into Alabama but continued to produce heavy rain that raises flash‑flood and tornado risks across the Southeast.
  • Outage trackers and local reports show hundreds of thousands without electricity across Florida, Alabama and Georgia, and totals have varied as crews work to assess and repair widespread damage.
  • Officials and on‑scene reports describe significant property and infrastructure damage, including torn roofs, downed trees and airport damage in Pensacola, and multiple storm‑related deaths have been reported while counts remain under review.
  • State and local responses include mandatory evacuations, curfews and about 5,000 National Guard personnel deployed to assist search, rescue, restoration and to limit near‑term supply and travel disruptions.