Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, has resulted in two fatalities and left hundreds of thousands of customers without power across the southeastern United States. The storm made landfall near Destin, Florida, on Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening as it moved inland through Alabama overnight.

One person died in Birmingham, Alabama, when a tree fell on a house, according to local emergency officials. A second fatality was reported in Escambia County, Florida, after a tree fell during the storm, local authorities stated. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis indicated that state officials had not yet confirmed any storm-related deaths.

Isaias made landfall with sustained winds of 169 km/h (105 mph), bringing powerful gusts and heavy rain to the Florida Panhandle. By Saturday morning, the storm had weakened to a post-tropical cyclone with wind speeds of approximately 55 km/h (35 mph).

More than 900,000 electricity customers in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia were initially without power early Saturday morning. This number has since decreased to under 800,000, according to PowerOutage.us. Fallen trees and downed power lines caused significant disruptions, and flooding led to road closures in parts of southern Alabama.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey expressed concerns about "strong winds, heavy rain and possible spinoff tornadoes." Local officials in Pensacola, Florida, reported strong winds that damaged an airport and tore the roof off a hotel, with trees and power lines also causing blocked roads and power outages.

Despite the storm's weakening, officials cautioned that dangerous conditions could persist. Heavy rainfall raised concerns about flash flooding across parts of the Southeast. Governor DeSantis warned that saturated ground and continued rainfall might lead to dangerous flooding a day or two after the storm's passage, emphasizing that state search and rescue resources would remain available.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier advised residents to be wary of contractors who might try to take advantage of storm victims as homeowners begin repair processes. The widespread power outages and damage highlighted the vulnerability of infrastructure to severe weather events.

The hurricane's path and impact underscore the ongoing threat posed by Atlantic hurricane season, which typically lasts until November. Federal and state agencies are likely to assess the full extent of the damage and coordinate recovery efforts in the affected regions.