Isaias downgraded to post-tropical cyclone after landfall in Florida
The storm, which hit the US as a Category 2 hurricane, has prompted mandatory evacuations and warnings of life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, and flooding. It is the first hurricane to strike the US mainland since 2024.
After making landfall in northwestern Florida, Hurricane Isaias depleted its strength and transformed into a post-tropical cyclone. The National Hurricane Center reported that the storm rapidly weakened as it moved over Alabama and proceeded to shift northward and north-northeastward over the weekend. Initially striking near Destin, Florida, Isaias brought life-threatening storm surge, dangerous hurricane conditions, and flash flooding to Gulf Coast communities. Mandatory evacuations were issued, and businesses were closed as the storm affected coastal areas.
Residents in Pensacola, around 50 miles west of Destin, witnessed their homes and businesses suffer as intense winds uprooted roofs and snapped tree branches. Power outages affected over 300,000 customers in Florida and 200,000 in Alabama. Repair trucks arrived in Pensacola and Navarre to address power outages, and water service to buildings was suspended.
Despite the governor's promise of ready supplies and personnel, the impact of the storm extended across a broad area of the southeastern United States, with hurricane-force winds up to 100 miles inland. Storm surge, combined with the tide, was anticipated to inundate normally dry regions, potentially reaching heights of 9 feet around the Alabama-Florida border.
Heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding and cause rivers to overflow. Two airports in northwestern Florida suspended their operations due to the storm's effects.
The late arrival of Isaias this season was primarily attributed to an exceptionally strong El Niño phenomenon. This El Niño event created intense vertical wind shear over the Atlantic, which typically disrupts storms, making Isaias unique as the first hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Milton in 2024. Climate change contributed to record-high temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, providing ample energy for Isaias to develop into a major hurricane.
As ocean warming and rising sea levels intensify the impact of hurricanes, this summary underscores the growing threat of climate change to coastal communities.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
