Isaias Makes Landfall in Florida as Category 2 Hurricane

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday as a Category 2 storm, the National Hurricane Center said, bringing threats of storm surge, damaging winds and flooding across the northern Gulf Coast and inland areas. The center reported the landfall intensity after describing Isaias as a Category 3 hurricane at 5 p.m. ET, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. The earlier advisory forecast landfall near Pensacola. The storm had weakened by the time it reached the coast, and the reports describe conditions at different points in the evening. Forecasters warned that hurricane-force winds could continue along Isaias’s track as far as 100 miles inland. Storm surge and flooding threatened Gulf Coast communities, with forecasts varying by location: the National Hurricane Center cited a potential surge of up to seven feet along parts of the Florida-Alabama coast, while another forecast warned of flooding reaching nine feet in some areas. The storm also brought the possibility of tornadoes and heavy rain. Power outages were widespread by Friday evening. PowerOutage.