Hurricane Isaias Cuts Power Across US Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias disrupted the US Gulf Coast after making landfall near Destin, Florida, late Friday, leaving more than 750,000 people without power in Florida and Alabama, according to poweroutage.us, while the National Weather Service tracked the storm's weakening.

The Category 2 hurricane reached land with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph near Destin, Florida. By early morning, the National Weather Service said Isaias had weakened into a post-tropical cyclone with winds of 65 mph.

Power outages were concentrated in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, with Georgia also reporting outages affecting tens of thousands of customers, according to poweroutage.us.

Jonathan Ramos, a 40-year-old government employee, described dangerous conditions from his hotel in Pensacola, Florida, after the electricity failed.

"Things are flying really fast, and I’ve never seen wind this fast before, so it’s intense, it’s scary," said Jonathan Ramos, a 40-year-old government employee.

Ramos was staying in Pensacola as the storm affected the area. He warned others about traveling to the region during the severe weather.

"I don’t recommend people coming down here for fun to do this," said Jonathan Ramos, a 40-year-old government employee.

Before landfall, storm surge warnings were issued from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Suwannee River in Florida. Residents were advised to follow local officials' guidance and evacuate if instructed.

Isaias intensified into a hurricane on Wednesday night, becoming the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season, according to the storm report.