First hurricane to hit US in two years: Isaias slams Florida with 105 mph winds

Hurricane Isaias struck the U.S. Gulf Coast on Friday night, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States in two years, as residents who had not evacuated rushed to complete their preparations against destructive winds, dangerous storm surge and torrential rain. The storm made landfall near Destin in the Florida Panhandle, close to the Alabama border, with sustained winds of around 105 mph (170 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. Isaias had earlier intensified into a Category 3 hurricane but weakened to Category 2 before reaching shore. Despite the weakening, forecasters warned that it remained capable of causing extensive damage and life-threatening flooding. Rain began falling along parts of the Gulf Coast on Friday morning, and tropical storm conditions spread across the region as the hurricane approached. The National Hurricane Center warned that Category 3 hurricanes, classified as major hurricanes, can cause devastating damage. Although Isaias weakened before landfall, its powerful winds and heavy rainfall remained serious threats. The storm was expected to weaken rapidly as it moved inland, potentially becoming a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon while tracking northward through Alabama toward the Mississippi border. "Preparations should be completed quickly, as weather conditions will deteriorate rapidly," the hurricane center warned in an advisory issued early Friday. "Although the storm is not expected to make landfall at peak intensity, Isaias will likely still be a major hurricane when it reaches the coast," the earlier advisory said. Dangerous storm surge, flooding and tornadoes Beyond the powerful winds, forecasters warned of a dangerous storm surge reaching 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 meters) in some coastal areas, along with heavy rainfall and the possibility of tornadoes. Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches (100 to 200 millimeters) were expected across parts of the region during the weekend, with isolated areas potentially receiving as much as 15 inches (380 millimeters). Such rainfall could trigger flash flooding, particularly in low-lying communities and areas already saturated by earlier rain. Isaias is the first hurricane to strike the U.S. coastline since Hurricane Milton hit Florida on October 9, 2024, exactly two years earlier. As the storm approached, residents were seen boarding up windows, filling sandbags and securing their homes. Thousands of National Guard troops were deployed to assist with preparations and emergency response operations. Several counties issued mandatory evacuation orders for vulnerable coastal communities, while videos shared on social media showed heavy traffic on roads leading away from the threatened areas. Double red flags were raised on beaches, warning of extremely dangerous water conditions. The governors of Florida and Alabama declared states of emergency across dozens of counties, allowing authorities to mobilize additional resources ahead of the storm. On Dauphin Island, a barrier island off the Alabama coast, authorities encouraged residents to evacuate voluntarily. Mayor Jeff Collier said he did not expect extensive damage but emphasized that hurricanes can change course or intensify unexpectedly. "These things are very fickle, and a little jog here or there, or some last-minute increase in strength, we just have to be prepared for the worst," he said. An unusually quiet hurricane season Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, which has been unusually quiet. For the first time in 75 years, no Atlantic hurricane had formed by the end of September, making this one of the latest starts to hurricane activity in decades. The storm is the ninth named system of the Atlantic season, but the previous eight never developed beyond tropical storm strength. Most of those storms formed between mid-August and September. The latest seasonal forecast had projected between seven and 13 named storms, with two to six potentially strengthening into hurricanes. In an average Atlantic hurricane season, approximately 14 named storms form, including seven hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30. Although Isaias was expected to lose strength as it moved inland, forecasters warned that heavy rainfall, flooding and damaging winds could continue affecting communities well beyond the immediate coastline. For residents who remained in the storm's path, authorities emphasized that the danger would not end once the hurricane's center moved away.