Hurricane Isaias hammered the Florida Panhandle and portions of Alabama with winds topping 105 mph before slipping below hurricane force by early Saturday. The storm's heavy rains swelled rivers and broke power lines, knocking out electricity for more than 664,000 residents across the two states.
In Destin, streets turned into streams, prompting police in Pensacola to urge motorists to stay off flooded roads. Photos on social media showed uprooted trees and sagging power poles, while a shaky video captured a roof peeling from a Pensacola inn as gale‑force winds tore through.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, addressing a press conference, warned residents to "buckle down" as flash flooding could linger. "The storm is here," he said, adding that authorities would keep emergency services on standby until conditions improve.
Pensacola resident Tim Mowry, who rode out the fury inside his home, described wind sounds like a train whistle and noted power loss around 4:30 pm. "We were fortunate," he said, but his son was forced to turn back after trees and downed lines blocked the road to his house.
The National Hurricane Center projects storm surges of 3‑5 feet from Dauphin Island to Florida's Aucilla River and cautions about possible tornadoes in the Panhandle and southern Georgia. Power restoration crews are working around the clock, while officials urge residents to keep generators ready as rain continues to fall.