At least 4 dead as weakened Isaias brings threat of floods across the Southeast
What we know as Isaias moves across the Southeast:
- Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, made landfall in the northern Gulf Coast near Destin, Florida, on Friday night as a Category 2 storm, but within hours had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone.
- At least four people have died due to the storm — two in Alabama and two in Florida. Two died as a result of trees falling on their homes, officials said.
- The weakening storm is still forecast to bring powerful winds, flash flooding and storm surges to a large swath of the Southeast through the weekend. It is expected to dissipate on Sunday.
- Tens of thousands of people have evacuated the region, officials said, and more than 600,000 customers are without power across the region.
Trump approves federal emergency declaration for Georgia
President Trump approved an emergency declaration for Georgia Saturday in response to Isaias, FEMA announced.
The move frees up federal resources toward disaster relief efforts in dozens of counties.
The president had previously approved emergency declarations for the neighboring states of Florida and Alabama ahead of Isaias' landfall as a hurricane.
According to the National Hurricane Center, portions of northeast Georgia could see anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain, putting the region at risk of flash flooding.
Federal government addresses disruptions in oil supply due to Isaias
The Energy Department announced Saturday it has authorized emergency exchanges of as much as 4 million gallons of crude oil from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve.
Exxon Mobil and BP America — each authorized for up to 2 million barrels — will have to return more barrels in 2027 than they withdrew, the department said in a statement.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the goal is "to help maintain refinery operations, limit disruptions to fuel supplies and ensure American families and businesses continue to have access to affordable, reliable and secure energy."
"No matter what, we're going to make it"
In Gulf Breeze, Florida, Jayme Mitich wiped tears away Saturday as she surveyed the damage to her apartment. Her living room was soaked and covered in insulation and broken beams lay across her laundry room.
She and her 13-year-old daughter, Jeweliana Jackson, hid beneath a mattress minutes before the storm tore off part of their roof.
"The noise got so loud, and I just kept hearing things break and crash into everything," Mitich said.
The rest of their apartment complex was littered with roof shingles and broken beams from a wooden fence. Nearby, the winds uprooted trees and flipped a truck on its side.
"It's going to be OK," Mitich said. "No matter what, we're going to make it."
Here are photos that show the aftermath of Isaias in Gulf Breeze, Florida.
Alabama governor's office confirms another fatality
A second person has died in Barbour County, Alabama, related to Hurricane Isaias, Gov. Kay Ivey's office confirmed to CBS News on Saturday. This brings the total number of fatalities attributed to the storm to four across two states.
Ivey's office did not provide the circumstances of the person's death.
Earlier on Saturday, the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency said a person was killed in the Huffman area of Birmingham, Alabama, after a tree fell on their house.
"Unfortunately, we have also learned that two Alabamians have lost their lives. I am praying for their loved ones this morning," Ivey said in a Facebook post. "Fellow Alabamians, please continue being smart today as cleanup continues. Safety for y'all is the main thing today."
Two people died in Escambia County, Florida.
Another Isaias-related death reported in Florida
A man's death inside his home in Florida was related to post-tropical cyclone Isaias, authorities confirmed to CBS News.
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office said they responded to a call on Wilderness Lane on Saturday. Deputies found the victim dead in his garage, which was closed, with a running generator inside.
Four additional family members — ages 72, 24, 5 and 4 — were taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening treatment.
Earlier on Saturday, Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons said on social media that a woman died after a tree fell on a house during the storm.
At least one fatality in Alabama related to the storm has been reported.
Isaias creeps north with heavy rains expected from Alabama to the Carolinas
Isaias is moving into northern Alabama, still dishing out heavy rains and strong wind gusts.
The National Hurricane Center says flood watches remain for parts of the southeastern U.S. and southern Appalachians.
Forecasters say parts of Georgia and the Carolinas could see up to 10 inches of rain, though totals are likely to be 3 to 6 inches.
More than 700,000 customers still without power
More than 700,000 customers remain without power across the Southeast of the U.S. as the remnants of what used to be Hurricane Isaias continue to move across the region.
Here's a breakdown of the latest outages, according to PowerOutage.com.
- Florida: 422,357
- Alabama: 200,930
- Georgia: 44,877
- Mississippi: 18,824
- South Carolina: 7,917
- North Carolina: 8,138
- Tennessee: 6,649
The number of power outages is expected to fluctuate as the storm, which continues to pack a punch.
Photos show aftermath of Isaias in Florida
Isaias roared onto the Florida Panhandle, ripping roofs off homes and condominiums, before it moved north Saturday, bringing torrential rain and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast.
Here are photos of the aftermath:
Storm surge warnings discontinued, but high winds remain a threat
Robbie Berg, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami, told the Associated Press that while storm surge warnings have been discontinued, high wind remains a threat for the Southeast.
"So even though it has become post-tropical, it still does remain a wind threat, as well as a heavy rainfall threat. We could see some areas of significant flash flooding over the next couple of days," Berg said.
Isaias weakened quickly after making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast near Destin, Florida, as a Category 2 hurricane Friday evening. Its powerful winds left hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle without power early Saturday.
CBS/AP
Person killed by falling tree in Birmingham
A person has been killed in the Huffman area of Birmingham, Alabama, after a tree fell on their house, according to the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency.
Several homes have been damaged by falling trees in the Birmingham area, officials said, but they were not aware of any other casualties.
"Power outages, downed trees, and debris remain the primary concerns across the county," the emergenct management agency said. "Crews and first responders are working hard to clear debris and restore power throughout the county."
The death is at least the second associated with Hurricane Isaias. A woman in Escambia County, Florida, in the Panhandle, died when a tree fell on her home.
Pensacola mayor says airport sustained some damage
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said on his Facebook page that the airport "took some damage." Some power was out downtown, he said, and there were trees and power lines down in some areas.
Meanwhile, strong winds blew the roof off a hotel in the city.
Florida governor warns threat of Isaias is not over
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that while the eye of Isaias has long passed the state, the threat of the storm is far from over.
He said Saturday in a presser that rain and flooding are still on the horizon for communities in the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend this weekend.
"The risk of flooding is still high," DeSantis said. "Sometimes these things happen a day or two days after the storm goes through. So the flooding story is not over."
DeSantis said the focus now is restoration of power. There are nearly 440,000 customers without electricity in Florida, as of 9 a.m., according to PowerOutage.com."
"Thousands of linemen and utility crews have convoyed from San Destin and along the I-10 corridor to get to work, focusing on outages in the hardest-hit communities," he said, adding: "The storm has passed. It was safe enough to go out, and they were doing it."
Woman in Florida has died after tree fell on house, sheriff says
At least one fatality has been confirmed in the Florida Panhandle after the storm.
Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons said on social media on Saturday that a woman died after a tree fell on a house during the storm.
"Our thoughts and prayers are obviously with that family," he said. "We will continue to be out there in full force."
More than 884,000 customers without power after Isaias
The number of customers left without power in the Southeast continues to climb as a weakened Isaias makes its way across the region. More than 884,000 customers are without power on Saturday morning, according to the latest data.
Here's the latest breakdown by state, according to PowerOutage.com:
- Florida: 430,443 customers
- Alabama: 326,057 customers
- Georgia: 127,905 customers
Isaias winds pack a punch
While Isaias has weakened significantly since it made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday night, what remains of the storm still packs a punch.
CBS Meteorologist Rob Marciano said the winds are still about 35 mph, with higher wind gusts.
Here is a look at the strongest winds recorded as of Friday.
More than 860,000 customers are without power in Florida, Alabama and Georgia, as of 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
Alabama governor "Worried about strong wind, heavy rain"
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Saturday morning that her team is worried about "strong winds, heavy rain and possible spinoff tornadoes" as Isaias continues to move across the state.
She urged people to have "reliable information" as conditions develop.
"We often hear in emergency management: Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst," she said. "That is the approach we need with this particular storm system. After all, we only want to see one Tide roll this weekend. Y'all be safe, heed local warnings and stay weather aware."
Isaias weakened but still packs flooding and wind threat
Isaias, now a post-tropical cyclone, continues to weaken as it moves further inland across Alabama. It is forecast to enter the Tennessee Valley later Saturday and into Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said in its final advisory at 5 a.m. ET.
The storm is moving at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph and higher gusts. Forecasters said it will continue to slowly weaken as the day goes and is expected to dissipate on Sunday.
However, rain and flooding are still a threat. Through the weekend, Isaias is expected to produce up to 8 inches of rainfall across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia, the center said. Localized totals up to 15 inches are possible.
Across much of the remainder of the Southeast, rainfall up to 5 inches is expected, while localized higher amounts up to 10 inches are possible, especially across the Southern Appalachians and coastal Carolinas.
"Flash, urban and river flooding is possible across the region," the center said.
A risk for tornadoes will persist Saturday morning through the afternoon across parts of the eastern Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Hurricane Simon becomes a Cat 4 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast
Hurricane Simon strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm as it barrels toward Mexico's Pacific coast.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said early Saturday Simon's maximum sustained winds increased to 145 mph. Simon could bring as much as 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches, the center said.
The bulletin also urged residents to take immediate action to prepare, saying the hurricane will make landfall late Saturday or early Sunday, but tropical storm-strength winds could arrive much sooner.
Simon is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of southwestern Mexico, possibly concentrated along Jalisco's coast and in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Nayarit.
"This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain," the NHC said.
CBS/AP
Trump approves emergency declaration for Florida, Alabama
The Trump administration approved federal emergency declarations for Florida and Alabama on Friday night.
This would allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offer federal disaster assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts for emergency conditions caused by the storm.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for more than two dozen counties ahead of the storm's landfall. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who told tourists and visitors in the state's coastal areas to leave immediately, issued a state of emergency for 40 counties.
"This emergency declaration will help cut tape for our federal partners to aid in any response. We will continue to stay engaged with the Trump Administration and other partners as we brace for this storm. Fellow Alabamians, y'all stay weather aware," Ivey said in a statement.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also declared a state of emergency.
"(The Department of Homeland Security) and FEMA stand ready to support DeSantis and Ivey as they lead efforts to protect lives and communities," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on X.
Hundreds of thousands without power after Isaias landfall
Hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle were without power early Saturday after Isaias hit the U.S. Gulf Coast as a dangerous hurricane and left flooded roads and downed trees in its wake as it moved inland.
According to poweroutage.us, as of 5 a.m., 834,061 customers have lost power.
Florida — with 436,443 — has the most customers without power. Alabama has 314,540 customers and Georgia has 83,078 without electricity.
Tim Mowry, who rode out the storm from his home in Pensacola, told the Associated Press that the wind was so intense it sounded like a train whistle as it whipped through a crack in his patio door. He lost power around 4:30 p.m. but was able to rely on a generator.
"As far as Pensacola-wise, we really got fortunate," Mowry added.
Isaias, the first hurricane to hit the eastern U.S. since Milton tore up Florida's Gulf Coast in 2024, is also expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding to much of the Southeast over the weekend, then to parts of the Midwest and Northeast into Monday.
Isaias weakens to post-tropical cyclone
Isaias weakened early Saturday morning to a post-tropical cyclone after making landfall in the northern Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane.
As of 2 a.m. Eastern Time Saturday, it had maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour and was centered about 55 miles southwest of Montgomery, Alabama, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving north at 20 mph.
All hurricane warnings have been canceled. A storm surge warning was in effect in Florida from the Santa Rosa/Okaloosa county line to Suwannee River, and a tropical storm warning was in effect from the Alabama/Florida line to Aucilla River, Florida.
Prior to making landfall, the storm had strengthened to a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
Isaias grounds flights but likely to miss oil hubs
The storm grounded most Friday flights at several Florida Panhandle airports, including all flights into and out of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.
President Trump scrapped his plans to attend Saturday's football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He said he didn't want to disrupt emergency response efforts.
Isaias was expected to miss the oil industry's biggest hubs along the Gulf Coast, but fuel prices could rise if power outages shut down refineries for processing crude, industry experts said.
Flooding, damage reported in Florida Panhandle
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, at around 8 p.m. Eastern Time, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.
Roads in Destin were flooded, while in nearby Pensacola, police warned residents to stay off the streets because of debris across roadways.
While the extent of the damage was not immediately known, many area residents posted pictures online of downed trees and power lines, and one video posted to social media showed a roof being ripped off of an inn in Pensacola.
Some Florida Panhandle counties temporarily suspended emergency response due to dangerous conditions.
More than 697,000 customers were without power across Florida, Alabama and Georgia, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us.
Tim Mowry, who rode out the storm from his home in Pensacola, said the wind was so intense it sounded like a train whistle as it whipped through a crack in his patio door. He lost power around 4:30 p.m. but was able to rely on a generator. Standing water also covered his backyard, and parts of his fence were ripped down, but overall he said the storm wasn't as bad as he expected.
"As far as Pensacola-wise, we really got fortunate," Mowry said.
Mowry said his son, who lives about 15 minutes away, tried to drive to his home after losing power but had to turn around because downed trees and power lines blocked the roads.
CBS/AP
Trump says White House is tracking storm "very closely"
President Trump late Friday night told reporters that White House officials were tracking Hurricane Isaias "very closely," and added that it was "under control."
Earlier in the day, the White House approved federal emergency declarations for Florida and Alabama ahead of its arrival.
Isaias had briefly strengthened into a Category 3 storm, which is defined as a major hurricane, before weakening to a Category 2 when it made landfall in the U.S. It was still expected to pack a punch as it moved inland, producing life-threatening storm surges and gusty winds.
It was forecast to bring 4 to 8 inches of rain across southern Alabama, southwest Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, with totals as high as 15 inches, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Other parts of the Southeast could see anywhere from 2 to 10 inches of rain.
Streets empty in normally bustling Alabama tourist community
Tens of thousands of people across the northern Gulf Coast were placed under evacuation orders ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Isaias.
In Orange Beach, Alabama, streets and beaches were empty Friday heading into what was supposed to be a busy weekend for tourists. The gridlock on area roadways caused by fleeing residents over the past 48 hours was gone, and the evacuation window had closed, officials said, because winds were too strong.
The few residents left were trying to make the best of it. Christi Woods manages a wine store in Orange Beach, one of the only businesses that was still open Friday.
"We do take precautions, I mean, we're kind of in the flood zone," Woods said.
"Folks who are in the path of this storm should know, this is not a random tropical system," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news conference Friday. "It's a major hurricane. And it's going to potentially do a lot of damage."
Hurricane warning in effect for Alabama, Florida
A hurricane warning was in effect from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida as Hurricane Isaias slams the Southeast.
A tropical storm warning was in place from east of the Bay/Gulf County Line to the Aucilla River in Florida, while a storm surge warning was in place from Dauphin Island, Alabama, to the mouth of the Suwannee River in Florida.
Even though the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Isaias would likely downgrade to a post-tropical storm by Saturday, it was still set to deliver drenching rains and powerful winds to the region.
The center of the storm was forecast to move across Alabama and into the Tennessee Valley on Saturday and Sunday.
Downed trees, power lines shutter all roads in Alabama's Houston County
All roads in the southern Alabama county of Houston were closed early Saturday morning because of downed trees and power lines caused by high winds from Isaias, local officials said, adding that there were major outages.
"Local emergency services, utility crews, and road crews are working to assess damage, clear debris and restore safe travel conditions," the county's emergency management agency said in a statement.
The county also said the region was under a flash flood warning.