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Hurricane Isaias Makes Landfall Near Destin, Florida, Bringing Life-Threatening Flooding Threat

This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds. Widespread power outages affected hundreds of thousands across Florida, Alabama, and Georgia.

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Hurricane Isaias Makes Landfall Near Destin, Florida, Bringing Life-Threatening Flooding Threat
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Isaias hits Gulf Coast

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida on Friday evening as a Category 2 storm, with the American National Hurricane Center reporting 110 mph (175 kph) winds before the storm weakened slightly. Florida, Alabama, and Georgia had each issued states of emergency as meteorologists warned of life-threatening storm surge that could cause up to 9 feet (2.7m) of flooding in some areas. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters that “We are taking this storm very, very seriously,” as the storm threatened the Florida Panhandle and the rest of the US Gulf Coast with fierce winds and heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center warned that hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from Isaias' centre, and tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 205 miles (335 km). Melissa Watson, a Florida-based meteorologist at the National Weather Service, warned that “the main thing will be having multiple ways to receive warnings” about tornadoes and storm surges.

Image from - Rezo Nòdwès
Image: - Rezo Nòdwès
Reporting for this sectionBBC20 Min

Deaths, power outages

Hurricane Isaias killed at least four people as it weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, with two deaths in Alabama and two in Florida reported by ABC News.

ABC News quoted Gov. Ron DeSantis saying “One individual in Escambia County had a tree fall on his home and tragically was killed,” and DeSantis added that another person died inside a garage where “the generator was running.”

Image from - Rezo Nòdwès
Image: - Rezo Nòdwès

Al Jazeera reported that Isaias left “two dead and 800,000 without power in US Southeast,” and it said more than 900,000 electricity customers in Florida, Alabama and Georgia were without power early Saturday morning.

PowerOutage.us tracking showed outages falling to less than 700,000 by Saturday morning, according to Al Jazeera.

The Associated Press reported that nearly 700,000 customers were without power by midday and that forecasters warned flooding could stretch into the southern Appalachians.

Reporting for this sectionABC NewsAl Jazeera

Climate-linked intensification

Multiple outlets tied Isaias's rapid intensification to record-warm Gulf of Mexico waters, with 20 Min explaining that surface temperatures reached “record levels due to climate change.” Climatologist Marc Alessi described the warm waters as providing the energy needed for Isaias to strengthen rapidly, and it added that ocean warming increases the risk of more powerful cyclones. CBC News reported that the storm’s rapid intensification was fuelled by record-warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico and said experts linked the marine heatwave to human-caused climate change.

The BBC described Isaias as the first hurricane in the Atlantic season to form in October after hurricane formation was delayed due to El Niño conditions in the Pacific. As Isaias moved inland, the National Hurricane Center said flood watches remained for parts of the southeastern United States and southern Appalachians, while the BBC reported that “All tropical storm surge warnings have been discontinued as of this morning, but there are still high wind warnings” for portions of the Southeast.

Reporting for this section20 MinCBC