Hurricane Isaias approaches Florida Panhandle as crews from South Florida deploy to region
Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, continues to strengthen as it approaches the Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast, leading to mandatory evacuations in some spots and triggering the deployment of first responders from South Florida to the region in preparation of the storm.
On Thursday morning, members of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue Florida Task Force One and Miami Fire Rescue Task Force Two packed up essential equipment and gear to offer assistance before, during and after the hurricane.
"We start preparing days in advance," Florida Task Force One Capt. German Leal told CBS News Miami. "We have a big supply and equipment. We have a medical doctor. We have four medical specialists. We have K-9s. We have 88 members total."
The team has equipment capable of swift- and high-water rescues, and will be canvassing the impacted areas to conduct search and rescue missions, if needed, disaster recovery and damage assessments after the storm.
"Knowing the Panhandle, I've been there a couple of times, we have heavy flooding," Leal continued. "It's going to be a lot of windstorm damage. But we anticipate a lot of flooding."
Florida Task Force Two is also headed to the region, with the 80-member team also capable of assisting with swift- and high-water rescues.
Hurricane Isaias prompts mandatory evacuations along parts of Florida Panhandle
Counties along the Florida Panhandle have issued local states of emergency and have even told residents and tourists to evacuate and move inland as Hurricane Isaias approaches.
"We take disaster preparedness and response seriously in Okaloosa County and want to make sure every individual has the resources they need to keep themselves and their family safe," Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin said in a statement.
Okaloosa County, home to cities like Destin and Fort Walton Beach, has also opened some shelters for evacuated residents to hunker down during the storm.
Florida Panhandle prepares for Hurricane Isaias
Residents on the Florida Panhandle have been busy preparing for Hurricane Isaias, with Gov. Ron DeSantis declaring a state of emergency for 25 counties as the system threatens to bring heavy rain, strong winds and flooding to parts of the state by the end of the workweek.
DeSantis signed the executive order Tuesday night, allowing state agencies to position resources ahead of potential impacts across the Panhandle and Big Bend regions.
Isaias, which developed from Tropical Depression Nine on Wednesday morning, has strengthened into a hurricane late Tuesday evening before approaching the northern Gulf Coast on Friday.
"Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from Tropical Depression 9," DeSantis said in a press release Tuesday. "This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond."
DeSantis urged Floridians to review their disaster plans and make sure their hurricane supply kits are stocked.
Hurricane Isaias is the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic Season
Isaias is expected to pass north of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday before approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The NHC expects Isaias to rapidly strengthen and become a hurricane before reaching the northern Gulf Coast.
Isaias became the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2026 season. It is already the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Isaias is also expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to the Gulf Coast and Southeast into the weekend and early next week. Between 3 and 6 inches of rain are forecast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, with isolated totals of up to 10 inches possible.
Heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding, and isolated tornadoes are among the potential threats to North Florida. Additional rain could also further saturate soils and increase the risk of flash flooding following recent significant rainfall in the state.
Florida stages emergency resources
The Florida State Emergency Response Team is mobilizing resources ahead of the storm, with supplies being strategically staged in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area for rapid deployment if needed, DeSantis said.
The resources include generators, fuel, flood barriers, pallets of bottled water, shelf-stable meals, flood buckets, tarps, Tiger Dams, and sandbags.
Which Florida counties are under the state of emergency?
The state of emergency covers Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla and Washington counties.
State officials are urging residents to continue monitoring the storm and prepare for possible impacts as the forecast becomes clearer.