Hurricane Isaias makes landfall in Florida as first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 season

Hurricane Isaias made landfall in Florida on Friday evening near the city of Destin, according to Euronews. The National Hurricane Center said the hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 105 miles per hour (165 kilometers per hour). The National Weather Service warned of a life-threatening storm surge from Dauphin Island, Alabama, to Suwannee, Florida, and urged residents in the warning area to follow advice from local officials.

The BBC reported on Friday morning that Isaias was a category three 'major' hurricane, with hurricane hunter aircraft measuring sustained wind speeds of 120mph (193km/h). DW reported that Isaias was a strong Category 3 storm before landfall and later weakened to a Category 1 storm. Euronews described Isaias as a category 2 hurricane at landfall and reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said around 260,000 customers were without power.

Florida, Georgia and Alabama have all declared a State of Emergency, according to DW. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said 'emergency declarations have been approved in Florida and Alabama to ensure federal resources are available to respond to #Isaias.' The National Weather Service said 'extremely dangerous and damaging hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, are expected over portions of the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama where a Hurricane Warning remains in effect.'

DW reported that a tornado watch was issued for parts of Florida and southern Georgia, and that the Florida Division of Emergency Management extended the watch for parts of North Florida until at least 6 a.m. local time Saturday (10 a.m. UTC). Evacuations took place in coastal communities as the hurricane approached, and all flights at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport were canceled, according to DW.

According to the power outage tracking site PowerOutage.com, roughly 480,000 customers were without electricity as of Friday evening in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. DeSantis told reporters the outages spanned from Pensacola to Panama City and the state capital, Tallahassee, and that restoration crews would be mobilised after the storm passed. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said Uber, Comcast and Home Depot have offered to help Alabamians, with Uber offering free round-trip rides to state-approved evacuation shelters in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

DeSantis urged residents to 'buckle down at this point. Don't be getting out on the roads.' Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said crimes such as looting become first-degree felonies, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, during an emergency. The Guardian reported an estimated 75-150mm (2.9-5.9in) of rainfall across the Gulf coast, with up to 250mm in places. The National Weather Service said considerable flash and urban flooding and significant river flooding were possible, and that landslides were possible across the Southern Appalachians.