‘Things are flying really fast’: Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in Florida, knocking out power to thousands

Hurricane Isaias slammed into the US Gulf Coast last night as a Category 2 storm, bringing torrential rain and ferocious winds to northwestern Florida. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, with life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane conditions spreading inland.

Coastal communities were forced to implement mandatory evacuations and close businesses as the storm's impact spread. In Pensacola, about 50 miles west of Destin, residents witnessed roofs ripped from homes and trees snapped under the intense wind, which caused power outages for over 500,000 customers in Florida and 200,000 in Alabama.

Isaias, fueled by record-warm Gulf waters, underwent rapid intensification before making landfall and is the first hurricane to strike the US mainland since 2024. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that authorities were prepared to respond to the storm with a massive supply of personnel and resources. President Donald Trump canceled his trip to a college football game in Alabama due to the hurricane.

Mandatory evacuation orders were in effect in several Florida counties, but impacts were expected across much of the southeastern United States, with storm surge and heavy rainfall potentially flooding normally dry areas and pushing rivers over their banks.