Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in Florida

Hurricane Isaias made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 storm on Friday, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The hurricane, which had intensified from a Category 2 storm earlier that day, was expected to weaken further in the coming days. The US National Hurricane Center warned of potential storm surges, urban and river flooding, and flash floods as the hurricane moved through the Deep South.

At its peak, Isaias was packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour as it crossed the western Florida Panhandle near Destin, about 105km west-northwest of Panama City. The Hurricane Center cautioned that Isaias would continue to produce gusty winds well inland through Saturday, even as it became a post-tropical system.

Alabama's emergency management agency reported that the hurricane had downed trees and power lines, creating hazardous travel conditions in Houston County, which was under a flash flood warning. As a result, all Houston County roads were closed until further notice. President Donald Trump acknowledged the hurricane's impact, stating that authorities were closely monitoring the situation.

Over 412,000 people in Florida and nearly 243,000 in Alabama lost power due to the storm, according to PowerOutage.us. Emergency declarations were approved in both Florida and Alabama to ensure federal resources were available to respond to the hurricane's effects. Florida's emergency services advised residents to shelter in place and remain vigilant for hurricane conditions across the northern part of the state.