Hurricane Isaias has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone the day after it made landfall along the northern Gulf Coast of Florida, bringing with it heavy rains and powerful winds.
Isaias – which is the first of the 2026 Atlantic season – is still surging across south-eastern parts of the US.
Hundreds of thousands of households in Florida, Alabama and Georgia are without power, and each state has issued a state of emergency. There are currently no warnings in places after they ended on Saturday.
Isaias is one of three storm systems affecting North America this weekend, with the two others hitting Mexico and Southern California in the El Niño fuelled warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Both Florida and Alabama instituted mandatory evacuations to thousands of people due to the storm.
In Florida, those evacuations included coastal communities in direct aim of the powerful storm. Senator Rick Scott encouraged residents in designated areas to evacuate as soon as possible, as he warned in a social media post: “DO NOT WAIT! Get out NOW!”
Governor of Alabama Kay Ivey issued a mandatory evacuation for all non-residents, tourists and visitors in key counties likely to be heavily affected by the storm.
On Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the US president had approved emergency declarations for the two states to “ensure federal resources are available” for support.
Hurricane Isaias is the first hurricane in the Atlantic’s hurricane season, which largely has been delayed due to El Niño conditions in the Pacific.
It marks the first time in more than 30 years that a hurricane did not form before October.
Ahead of the storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned it was likely to bring “life-threatening storm surge” to the US Gulf Coast.
All warnings pertaining to Isaias had been discontinued on Saturday morning, the NHC said.
The post-tropical cyclone is currently moving north and is expected to cross Alabama and into the Tennessee Valley later on Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Hurricane-force winds on Friday evening extended outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from Isaias’ centre, and tropical storm-force winds extended as far as 205 miles (335 km).
